With US markets closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Australian share market looks set to open slightly higher this morning, taking its cue from a positive end to trade in Europe. In London pizza chain Domino’s rose 3.2 percent on news it would ramp up expansion plans following strong sales at new outlets. Healthcare stocks also performed well, making up ground off the back of recent losses.
MarketsWall Street was closed on Thursday.
European markets closed higher: London’s FTSE gained 0.2 per cent, Paris lifted 0.3 per cent and Frankfurt rose 0.3 per cent.
Asian markets closed mixed: Tokyo’s Nikkei added 0.9 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.3 per cent, and China’s Shanghai Composite closed flat.
The Australian share market closed flat yesterday: The S&P/ASX 200 Index finished the day at 5,485. On the futures market the SPI is 19 points up.
CurrenciesThe Australian Dollar at 7:20AM was buying $US74.08 cents, 59.49 Pence Sterling, 84.01 Yen and 70.18 Euro cents.
Company newsCIMIC Group Limited
(ASX:CIM) has announced its holding in UGL is now greater than 50 percent. As a result CIMIC is urging all UGL shareholders to accept its offer of $3.15 per share in cash. Shares in CIMIC Group Limited closed 1.22 percent up on Thursday at $31.58.
Insurance Australia Group Limited
(ASX:IAG) has announced it has successfully completed the bookbuild for its IAG Capital Notes offer, announced earlier this week. IAG has set the margin for the notes at 4.70 percent per annum. $350 million of Capital Notes have been allocated, increased from $300 million due to strong demand. Shares in Insurance Australia Group Limited closed 0.18 percent up on Thursday at $5.65.
Ex-dividends2 companies are going ex-dividend today: Infratil Limited
(ASX:IFT) will pay 5.41 cents unfranked and Ruralco Holdings Limited
(ASX:RHL) will pay 2 cents fully franked.
Commodities Gold has fallen $5.10 to $US1,186 an ounce for the December contract on Comex.
Silver has dropped $0.09 to $16.40 for December.
Copper has risen $0.05 to $2.67 a pound for December.
Oil has gained $0.02 to $US47.98 a barrel for January light crude in New York.
