Outlook: ASX looks up before jobs data

Market Reports

A positive lead from Wall Street looks to support the Australian share market ahead of official jobs data due this morning and Chinese CPI and PPI later in the session. America’s major indexes rose overnight led by the tech heavy Nasdaq after Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) gained over 3 per cent one day after releasing new products. Across commodity markets the price of iron ore has dropped another 1.2 per cent and is now under $US83 per tonne while the Australian dollar has stabilised. 
 
On the local front all eyes will be on Australia’s employment figures today with National Australian Bank Limited (ASX:NAB) expecting 25,000 jobs were created in August. NAB has also tipped the unemployment rate will have fallen from 6.4 per cent to 6.3 per cent last month.
 
Global markets
 
Wall Street moved higher on Wednesday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3 per cent to close at 17,069, the S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent to close at 1,996 and the Nasdaq rose 0.8 per cent to close at 4,587.
 
European markets closed mixed on Wednesday: London's FTSE 100 firmed 0.02 per cent, France's CAC 40 slipped 0.04 per cent and Germany's DAX lost 0.1 per cent.
 
Asian markets finished mixed on Wednesday: Japan’s Nikkei lifted 0.3 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng sank 1.9 per cent, and China’s Shanghai Composite fell 0.4 per cent.
 
The Australian share market dropped and stayed down yesterday, closing 0.6 per cent lower: The S&P/ASX 200 index shed 34 points by close to end at 5,574 on Wednesday. On the futures market the SPI is 18 points higher. 
 
Currencies
 
The Australian dollar at 7:30am was buying $US0.9155, 56.51 Pence Sterling, 97.83 Yen and 70.91 Euro cents.
 
Economic news due out today 
 
Australian Bureau of Statistics: Labour force figures for August 
 
Company news
 
Myer Holdings Limited (ASX:MYR) will today unveil its financial results for the 2014 financial year. Analysts expect the department store retailer to report a fall in earnings and will be paying attention to any change in strategy following the takeover of its rival David Jones Limited (ASX:DJS) in July. Over the first half the company improved its sales by 0.3 per cent but its profit fell 8.1 per cent due to higher rent and labour and the cost of new and refurbished stores. At the time CEO Bernie Brookes said Myer had made good progress in executing its five-point plan and delivered comparable store sales growth in six of the last seven quarters. Shares in Myer Holdings gained 0.82 per cent to close at $2.47 on Wednesday ahead of today’s results. 
 
Sigma Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:SIP) is expected to today release its interim financial results. At the time of releasing its full year results in March the pharmaceutical company flagged improved revenue growth and gross profit over the year ahead. Over the current reporting period Sigma spent $24.5 million to buy smaller rival Central Healthcare in March. Earlier this week the company added 121 pharmacies to its network through the acquisition of DDS for $26.7 million. Shares in Sigma Pharmaceuticals dropped 1.19 per cent to close at $0.83 on Wednesday ahead of today’s results. 
 
Ex-dividends today
 
Goodman Fielder Limited (ASX:GFF) paying a 1 cent fully franked dividend
Homeloans Limited (ASX:HOM) paying a 2 cent fully franked dividend
IRESS Limited (ASX:IRE) paying a 16 cent, 40 per cent franked dividend
Lindsay Australia Limited (ASX:LAU) paying a 0.9 cent fully franked dividend
Melbourne IT Limited (ASX:MLB) paying a 1 cent, 80 per cent franked dividend
Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX:NST) paying a 2.5 cent fully franked dividend
Retail Food Group Limited (ASX:RFG) paying an 11.25 cent fully franked dividend
Shine Corporate Limited (ASX:SHJ) paying a 1.75 cent unfranked dividend
 
Commodities 

Gold has dipped $3.20 to $US1,245 an ounce for the December contract on Comex. 
Silver has added $0.01 to $18.87 for December. 
Copper has lifted $0.01 to $3.10 a pound.
Oil has slipped $1.08 to $US91.67 a barrel for October light crude in New York.

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