Aussie shares closed stronger today, lifted by the major banks like Westpac and National Australia Bank after an upgrade of Australian banks by Goldman Sachs following Citi’s upgrade just last week.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed 19 points higher at 4,263 while on the futures market, the SPI200’s up 3.
To company news around this afternoon: Property investor GPT Group (ASX:GPT) has sold the resort assets in the company’s Hotel/Tourism portfolio and an 80 per cent interest in the Hamburg Trust business. The company says proceeds from the resort sales total $84.9 million, a 40 per cent discount to December 2008 book value. The group says it has also sold an 80 per cent interest in the Hamburg Trust business for a nominal sum against a valuation at December 2008 of zero. GPT says these sales bring the total assets sold since January 2009 to around $700 million. GPT Group shares closed 2.83 per cent lower at $0.515.
Australian-based mineral development company Strike Resources Ltd (ASX:SRK) says it has signed a heads of agreement for the sale of 2.4 million tonnes of coal over a two year period from its Berau Coal Project to companies in China and Taiwan. In June the company announced the completion of a feasibility study for its Berau Coal Project in Indonesia, saying it has the potential to generate an annual operating surplus of approximately US$33 million. China National Building & Equipment Import & Export Corporation and Formosa Plastics Group in Taiwan have each agreed to purchase 1.2 million tonnes of coal each. Strike Resources shares closed 6.9 per cent higher at $0.62.
Also making news today: Communication and technology services company Computershare Ltd (ASX:CPU) has acquired U.S. transfer agency business, National City Bank, for US$16.2 million.
Gold miner Sino Gold Mining Ltd (ASX:SGX) says it has agreed to form a joint venture with Jilin Non-Ferrous Metals Brigade 602, covering an exploration licence immediately northeast of the company’s White Mountain Mine in China’s Jilin province.
Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC) and St George Ltd (ASX:SGB) have today announced a reduction in bank penalty fees across credit cards, personal accounts and business accounts.
And supermarket chain Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW) has reportedly announced plans to team up with Optus to enter into the mobile phone market.
To the best and worst performers: The best performing sector at close was the Financials excluding Real Estate Investment Trust index, up 77 points to 4,738; while the worst performing sector at close was the Utilities index; down 60 points to 4,156.
The best performing stock in the S&P/ ASX200 was St Barbara shares rose 15.38 per cent to 22.5 cents. Shares in Macmahon Holdings and Kagara also closed higher.
The worst performing stock was Energy World Corporation with shares falling 4.69 per cent to $0.61. Shares in Babcock & Brown Infrastructure and Avoca Resources also closed lower.
In commodities, gold is trading at $953.30 U.S an ounce and light crude is up 81 cents at $70.26 U.S a barrel.
