The Australian share market made the most of global optimism today to close 1.6 per cent higher. The gains come before a major European Central Bank meeting tipped to announce a round of quantitative easing.
All major sectors made gains today with real estate trusts leading the way. Materials also did well with BHP Billiton reporting strong production in the first half of the financial year.
The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 86 points up to finish at 5,393.
The value of trades was $4.62 billion on volume of 712 million shares at the close of trade. The top three stocks by value were National Australia Bank Limited
(ASX:NAB), BHP Billiton Limited
(ASX:BHP) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia
(ASX:CBA).
On the futures marketthe SPI is 88 points up.
Company news
Shares in BHP Billiton Limited
(ASX:BHP) were up more than 2 per cent today as it improved iron ore production by 16 per cent to 113.43 million tonnes in the first half of the 2015 financial year.
Australia’s largest company boosted group production by 9 per cent over the six month period with records achieved for eight operations and five commodities. BHP closed 2.07 per cent up at $28.05
Meanwhile Senex Energy Limited
(ASX:SXY) dipped as it affirmed its annual production guidance, reported a fall in quarterly output and sales, and, cut its capital expenditure by 20 per cent.
The oil and gas company’s output fell 5.3 per cent to 0.36 million barrels of oil equivalent in the December quarter and sales revenue dropped 33.5 per cent to $28.2 million. Shares in Senex closed 1.89 per cent down at $0.26
BKI Investment Company Limited
(ASX:BKI) has improved its interim profit on the back of an increase in its special dividend income.
AGL Energy Limited
(ASX:AGL) says the latest water monitoring results show no detected levels of an anti-bacterial agent in groundwater around the Waukivory Pilot Project near Gloucester.
Nickel miner Western Areas Limited
(ASX:WSA) has reported a half year unit cash cost of $2.37/lb which is about 20 per cent lower than full year guidance.
Cellmid Limited
(ASX:CDY) has been granted a US patent for the use of midkine to treat heart failure.
Best and worst performers of the day
All major sectors are up today, the best performing sector was real estate investment trusts adding 2.6 per cent to close at 1,237. The sector with the least gains was energy, up 0.5 per cent to close at 10,347 points.
The best performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 wasLiquefied Natural Gas Limited
(ASX:LNG), rising 8.49 per cent to close at $2.30. Shares in Northern Star Resources Limited
(ASX:NST) and EVOLUTION Mining
(ASX:EVN) also closed higher.
The worst performing stock was Horizon Oil Limited
(ASX:HZN), dropping 3.85 per cent to close at $0.13. Shares in Spark New Zealand Limited
(ASX:SPK) and Atlas Iron Limited
(ASX:AGO) also closed lower.
Commodities
Gold is trading at $US1,298 an ounce.
Light crude is $2.66 down at $US46.47 a barrel.
The Australian dollar is buying $US0.8212
