With no offshore leads out of the US owing to the thanksgiving public holiday, the Australian share market opened flat this morning and is trading 0.2 per cent lower at midday.
The S&/ASX 200 index is 9 points down at 4,404. On the futures market the SPI is 6 points lower at noon.
Company news
ALS Limited
(ASX:ALQ) has reported a record interim net profit of $135.5 million for the half year to September, up 32 per cent from the previous corresponding period. Chairman Nerolie Withnall says all ALS testing and inspection services divisions recorded strong increases in revenues and profit contributions in the period, and saw significant growth in demand for services. Shares in ALS are trading down 4.47 per cent at $8.97.
Woolworths Limited
(ASX:WOW) expects profit to rise in this financial year after a pleasing first four months. Chief executive Grant O'Brien says the company maintains its expectation of a three to six per cent rise in its net profit from continuing operations, despite the instability of consumer confidence in an uncertain global finance market. Sales in the three months to the end of September were up 4.3 per cent from the same period in the previous year. Shares in Woolworths are trading up 0.24 per cent at $28.69.
Best and worst performers
The best performing sector is Utilities gaining 10 points to 4,930. Shares in SP AusNet
(ASX:SPN) have risen 1.21 per cent and trading at $1.04. Shares in APA Group
(ASX:APA) are stronger while DUET Group
(ASX:DUE) is trading slightly lower so far today.
The worst performing sector is Energy, falling 115 points to 11,946. Shares in Coalspur Mines Limited
(ASX:CPL) have fallen 4.72 per cent, trading at $0.76. Shares in Santos Limited
(ASX:STO) and Paladin Energy Limited
(ASX:PDN) are also lower at noon.
Gold and the dollar
Gold is trading at $US1,729 an ounce and the Australian dollar is buying $US1.038.
