Outlook: Blackmores lacklustre profit

Market Reports

 
Despite an 11th hour spike on Wall Street – due to encouraging jobs data - local stocks are in for a dead flat start to today’s session – the first of the month.

Figures 
 
By the closing bell, The Dow Jones Industrial Average had lost 21 points to close at 14,055, the S&P500 shed 1 point to close at 1,515 and the Nasdaq lost 2 points to close at 3,160.
 
European markets closed firmer.  London’s FTSE added 35 points, Paris put on 32 points and Frankfurt gained 66 points.
 
Asian markets also closed firmer.  Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 443 points, Tokyo’s Nikkei added 305 and China’s Shanghai Composite added 52 points.
 
Locally, the Australian share market closed firmer yesterday.  The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed up 68 points at 5,104. On the futures market the SPI is down 17 points.

Currencies 

The Australian Dollar at 8:30AM was buying $US1.021 cents, 67.38 Pence Sterling, 94.65 Yen and 78.22 Euro cents.
 
Economic news due out today

The Australian Industry Groups performance of manufacturing (PMI) index for February is set for release. The housing industry association releases its December Trades Report.


Company news

Vitamin maker Blackmores ( ASX: BKL) blames soft retail conditions for a net profit drop of 4.8 per cent, down to $13.6 million in the half year to December 31. Despite a small lift in sales, Blackmores margins were hurt by higher advertising costs. Blackmores shares yesterday lost 7.32 per cent to $31.80.
 
Agriculural land owner PrimeAg (ASX:PAG) managed to trim its interim profit loss to $1.7 million – an  improvement on the $4.7 million loss in the previous year. Still, the uncertain outlook  and challenging operationing conditions have forced the group to press ahead with plans to sell off its remaining rural assets. AgShares closed 1.23 per cent weaker at $1.205.
 
Commodities

Gold is down $17.60 to $US1,578 an ounce for the April contract on Comex.
Silver is down 55 cents to $28.40 for March.
Copper is down 2 cents at $3.53 a pound.
Oil is down 71 cents at US$92.05 a barrel for April light crude in New York.
 
Ex-Dividends
Betashares Australian High Interest Cash ETF (ASX:AAA)  
Adelaide Brighton Ltd(ASX:ABC) 
Amalgamated Holdings Limited(ASX:AHD) 
Asciano Ltd(ASX:AIO)
Academies Australasia Group Ltd(ASX:AKG)
Clime Investment Management Limited(ASX:CIW)
Centuria Capital Ltd(ASX:CNI)
Iluka Resources Limited(ASX:ILU)
Nick Scali Limited(ASX:NCK)
Pro-Pac Packaging Limited(ASX:PPG)
RCR Tomlinson Limited(ASX:RCR)
Servcorp Limited(ASX:SRV)
Santos Limited(ASX:STO)
Swick Mining Services Ltd(ASX:SWK)
Traffic Technologies Limited(ASX:TTI) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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