Following positive leads, the Australian sharemarket looks set to open higher. Shares in Europe and on Wall Street closed stronger as global equities rally in the wake of US Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s cautious stance. The US Dollar extended losses, meanwhile oil prices saw moderate gains.
Markets
Wall Street closed up yesterday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5 per cent to close at 17,717, the S&P 500 added 0.4 per cent to close at 2,064 and the NASDAQ gained 0.5 per cent to close at 4,869.
European markets closed up: London’s FTSE gained 1.6 per cent, Paris gained 1.8 per cent and Frankfurt gained 1.6 per cent.
Asian markets closed mixed: Tokyo’s Nikkei lost 1.3 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 2.2 per cent, and China’s Shanghai Composite gained 2.8 per cent.
The Australian share market closed higher yesterday: The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed 6 points up to finish at 5,010. On the futures market the SPI is 42 points up.
Currencies
The Australian Dollar at 7:30AM was buying $US0.7674 cents, 53.36 Pence Sterling, 86.27 Yen and 67.68 Euro cents.
Economic news
Due out today from the Housing Industry Association is New home sales data for February
Company news
OceanaGold Corporation
(ASX:OGC) has received a five year extension to the exploration period of its financial or technical assistance agreement in the Philippines. The extension of the FTAA exploration permit facilitates exploration activities in the broader region surrounding Didipio. Shares in OceanaGold closed 3.41 per cent up yesterday at $3.64.
Orion Health Group Limited
(ASX:OHE) has signed an agreement with a major US healthcare insurer. The technology company said the project will commence in April and is expected to deliver the Orion Health Amadeus precision medicine platform for its membership base. Shares in Orion Health closed 3.24 per cent up yesterday at $2.87.
Ex-dividends | Name | Code | Date | Amount(cents) | Franking |
| AVJennings Limited | AVJ | 31/03/16 | 1.5 | 100 |
| CTI Logistics | CLX | 31/03/16 | 4.0 | 100 |
| Dongfang Modern Ag | DFM | 31/03/16 | 5.0 | 0 |
| Freedom Food Ltd | FNP | 31/03/16 | 1.8 | 100 |
| Genesis Energy Ltd | GNE | 31/03/16 | 7.4 | 0 |
| Lycopodium Limited | LYL | 31/03/16 | 1.5 | 100 |
| McMillan Shakespeare | MMS | 31/03/16 | 29.0 | 100 |
| Prime Financial | PFG | 31/03/16 | 0.4 | 100 |
| Recall Holdings Ltd | REC | 31/03/16 | 9.5 | 30 |
| Sealink Travel Grp | SLK | 31/03/16 | 4.5 | 100 |
| Virtus Health Ltd | VRT | 31/03/16 | 14.0 | 100 |
Commodities
Gold has fallen $12.00 to $US1,226 an ounce for the April contract on Comex.
Silver has fallen $0.03 to $15.20 for May. Copper has fallen $0.03 to $2.19 a pound.
Oil has gained $0.03 to $US38.31 a barrel for April light crude in New York.
