The Australian share market is poised for a soft start to the session, after US markets lost ground overnight.
Figures
Wall Street closed lower yesterday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 108 points to close at 13,928, the S&P 500 lost 19 points to close at 1,512 and the NASDAQ shed 49 points to close at 3,164.
European markets closed mixed. London’s FTSE gained 16 points, Paris lost 26 points and Frankfurt lost 24 points.
Asian markets closed firmer Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 164 points, Tokyo’s Nikkei added 96 and China’s Shanghai Composite gained 14 points.
The Australian share market finished finished in front yesterday. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended the day 17 points firmer to at 5,099. On the futures market the SPI is down 25 points
Currencies
At 8.15 am the Australian Dollar buying $US1.025 cents, 67.29 Pence Sterling, 95.98 Yen and 77.22 Euro cents.
Economic news due out today
The Australian Bureau of Statistics: average weekly time earnings for the six months to November
Company News
Qantas Airways Limited
(ASX:QAN) will reveal its first half profits today amid multiple media reports that Corrine Namblard, a non-executive director, has been linked to a airport funding corruption investigation in Europe. Shares in Qantas closed point 9 per cent weaker yesterday at $1.62.
National Australia Bank
(ASX:NAB) has increased its convertable preference share offer to $1.4 billion. NAB shares added 1.29 per cent per to close at $30.56 yesterday.
Ex-dividends today:
Ansell Limited
(ASX:ANN) 16 cents unfranked
Bendigo Bank Limited
(ASX:BEN) 30 cent fully franked
Cochlear( ASX:COH) $1.25, 40 per cent franked
CVC Limited
(ASX:CVC) 2 cents, fully franked
Korvest Limited
(ASX:KOV) 26 cents, fully franked
Mincor Resources
(ASX:MCR) 2 cents, fully franked
Commodities
Gold for April is down $26.20 to $US1,578 an ounce
Silver for March is down $0.80 to $28.62
Copper is down $0.04c at $3.61 a pound.
Oil is down $2.20 at US$94.46 a barrel for March light crude in New York.
