Market Wrap: Aus shares sustain gains

Market Reports

Following positive offshore leads the Australian share market rose sharply at the open and maintained gains over the course of the day. All sectors rose as investors were encouraged by a possible Greek debt deal. 

Figures
 
The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 74 points or 1.3% higher  to finish at 5,684.
The value of trades was $5.6 billion on volume of 827 million shares at the close of trade.
The top three stocks by value were Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA), Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC) and National Australia Bank Limited (ASX:NAB).
 
On the futures market the SPI is 68 points higher.

Company News
 
Healthscope Limited (ASX:HSO) has inked a deal to sell its local Australian pathology operations. The private hospital operator will sell the operations to Crescent Capital Partners for $105 million.  Shares in Healthscope closed 3.4 per cent higher at $2.74. 
 
FlexiGroup Limited (ASX:FXL) has announced its CEO and Managing Director will depart later this year. 
The financial services group says Tarek Robbiati will stay while a search is undertaken for a replacement and then return overseas. Shares in FlexiGroup closed 7 per cent lower at $3.19. 
 
GWA Group Limited (ASX:GWA) has flagged the retirement of its Managing Director Peter Crowley at the end of June next year. 
 
Human resources start-up 1-Page Limited (ASX:1PG) has signed another Fortune 200 company to its Sourcing Platform. 
 
Online job outsourcing group Freelancer Limited (ASX:FLN) says it expects the company’s exceptional growth to continue over the current year. 
 
Benitec Biopharma Limited (ASX:BLT) has announced plans for an initial public offering the in the US with a listing on the Nasdaq index.

Best and worst performers
 
The best performing sector was healthcare adding 2 per cent to close at 18,502. The worst performing sector was consumer staples, adding 0.4 per cent to close at 8,587 points.
 
The best performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was Kathmandu Holdings Ltd, rising 5.6 per cent to close at $1.23. Shares in Premier Investments Limited and Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd also closed higher.
 
The worst performing stock was Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd, dropping 13.59 per cent to close at $37.51. Shares in FlexiGroup Limited and Cover-More Group Ltd also closed lower. 
 
IPOs

Shriro Holdings Limited (ASX:SHM) started trading today. The kitchen appliances and consumer goods marketing and distributing group floated with an issue price of $1.00, opened at $1.08 and closed at $1.08.    
 
Commodities

Gold is trading at $US1,186 an ounce. Light crude is $0.41 higher at $US60.38 a barrel.

Currencies

The Australian dollar is buying $US0.7714

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