Australian Indexes and Dollar Ease on Weak Commodities

Marcus Jacob
05 Apr, 2013
New York City

Australian stocks traded lower in weak trading sentiment in Asia. Banks led the decliners and resource stocks closed mixed. Base metals traded higher but precious metals declined along with crude oil futures on the move in the U.S. dollar.

[R]6:30 PM Sydney – Australian stocks traded lower in weak trading sentiment in Asia. Banks led the decliners and resource stocks closed mixed. Base metals traded higher but precious metals declined along with crude oil futures on the move in the U.S. dollar.[/R]

Australian stocks fell and the dollar edged lower and shifted attention to weak trading in Asian markets.

The ASX 200 index slipped 22.10 or 0.4% to 4,891.40 and the broader All Ordinaries fell 20.05 to 4,899.25.

For the week ASX 200 dropped 1.5%.

Australian dollar traded near one-month high and closed down to $1.0415 and in stock trading, turnover decreased to 1.45 billion shares worth $4.43 billion.

Stock Movers

Rio Tinto gained $1 to $55.60 and BHP added 49 cents to $32.24. Fortescue Metals Group rose 2 cents to $3.57.

Woodside Petroleum dropped 72 cents to $34.79 and Santos fell 11 cents to $12.05.

Newcrest Mining gained 31 cents to $18.80, Kingsgate climbed 15 cents or 4.5% to $3.50 and Whitehaven Coal increased 6 cents to $1.97.

David Jones Limited added 1 cent to $2.91 and Breville Group gained 12 cents to $6.10. Billabong last closed at 73 cents and Globe International closed unchanged at 41 cents.

Yesterday, Billabong halted the stock indefinitely as two takeover bid talks drag.

Woolworths declined 62 cents to $33.79. Kathmandu jumped 6 cents to $2.

Toll Holdings up 5 cents to $5.72, Leighton rose 5 to $19.68 and Mirvac Group slid 2 cents to $1.61. Lend Lease gained 20 cents to $10.30.

Westpac decreased 54 cents to $30.25, Commonwealth fell 1.7% to $66.93 and National Australia Bank down 1.4% to $30.57 and ANZ slumped 28 cents to $27.75.

Macquarie Group rose 4 cents to $36.63 and Wesfarmers dropped 60 cents to $39.86.

Nufarm climbed 14 cents to $4.25. Linc Energy slid 5 cents to $1.82.