Markets
A good home for your money
Last year’s interest rate rises have bumped some first-home buyers out of the market and taken heat out of prices at the bottom end. Both those factors make real estate a buyer’s market for investors.
Get ready for extra beer money
The High Court ruling over student expenses could have generous implications, writes Joanna Mather.
Awards for those in class above
Fund managers struggled to differentiate themselves from rivals in 2010 as the local sharemarket eked out only a marginal gain for the year.
Wall Street ends higher for a third week
Late arrivals to the speediest rally in stocks since the Great Depression pushed stocks higher for a third week on Friday, ignoring growing signals of an overheating market.
RBS, Lloyds will pace London trading
Bank annual results and bonuses will drive trading in London again next week, with Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group reporting.
Friday’s Session
Shares post fourth weekly gain
After digesting a big week of profit results, Australian shares held onto higher ground to post a fourth weekly gain, a streak last achieved in December. On Friday, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 shed 1.7 points but the index ended the week 1.14 per cent higher at 4936.7.
Winners not necessarily grinners
Miners’ profits are strong but it’s companies in tougher sectors whose shares are rising.
Baker l Hunger feeds inflation
If you believe the World Bank and United Nations then the number of chronically hungry people in the world will be one billion, or about one in every six people on the planet, by the end of the year.
Euro rises on hopes for higher interest rates
The euro advanced on Friday, bolstered by increased expectations that the European Central Bank would raise interest rates, with further gains likely in the upcoming week.
Financial Review TV
Profit Results: QANTAS briefing
Qantas chief executive officer Alan Joyce and chief financial officer Gareth Evans give an overview of the first half profit result and take questions from the floor.
Coal yet to weather the worst
Street Talk | Analysts believe hard coking coal forecasts could stay closer to heightened levels of $US300 a tonne for longer than initially expected because of recent force majeure declarations in Queensland.
Popping the commodity bubble myth
Market monitor | As commodity prices continue to rise, we’re hearing more and more “bubble” talk. This means people are getting worried about inflated and unsustainable price rises.
Uncertainty clouds RFG’s record profit
Hoey | Retail Food Group has posted a net profit of $13.6 million, an increase of 9 per cent on the previous corresponding period, in line with recent guidance.
It’s a question of control
Wasiliev | A chief attraction of do-it-yourself superannuation is the opportunity if offers to control your own investments.
Scots take a long-term view
Dunstan | In the investing world, there’s a style of investing which can only be called the Edinburgh style. It’s something which distinguishes the Scottish city.
Commodity surge nervously bubble-like
China and resources | On the heels of extraordinary results from the world’s biggest diversified miners, a number of analysts are getting a little nervous about commodity markets.
Grinding gains and inflation
Downtown | Investor reaction to inflation trending higher seems to be to chase companies that have good pricing power.
Huge leap of faith needed for Czech gas explorer
IPO watch | Speculators have eagerly bought exploration stocks in Africa, Mongolia, Indonesia and the Middle East. Now they can add Czech Republic.
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Latest Financial Reports
| DVA | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts
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| XRF | 18/02/11 |
Appendix 4D - December 2010 Half Yearly Accounts
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| EOL | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts
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| RHG | 18/02/11 |
Appendix 4D and Half Year Accounts December 2010
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| HTI | 18/02/11 |
HALF YEARLY REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR PERIOD ENDED 31/12/10
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| OOH | 18/02/11 |
Preliminary Final Report
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| PTM | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts
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| GAP | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts
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| CXD | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts and Appendix 4D
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| CFU | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts
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Market Sensitive Announcements
| MAH | 18/02/11 |
Trading Halt
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| WES | 18/02/11 |
BWP: Completion of institutional component of equity raising
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| FMG | 18/02/11 |
ASIC Appeal Ruling
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| FMG | 18/02/11 |
Correction to record date for dividend declared
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| DVA | 18/02/11 |
Half Yearly Report and Accounts
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Currencies
| AUD | USD | EUR | JPY | GBP | |
| AUD |  |
1.0138 | 0.7401 | 84.31 | 0.6236 |
| USD | 0.9845 |  |
0.7300 | 83.16 | 0.6151 |
| EUR | 1.3480 | 1.3692 |  |
113.86 | 0.8422 |
| JPY | 0.0118 | 0.0120 | 0.0088 |  |
0.0074 |
| GBP | 1.6002 | 1.6253 | 1.1865 | 135.16 |  |
World Indices
| S&P;/ASX 200 | 4,936.7 | - 1.7 | - 0.03% |
| ALL ORDINARIES | 5,026.1 | + 0.1 | + 0.00% |
| S&P;/ASX 100 | 4,014.9 | - 1.1 | - 0.03% |
| SMALL ORDS | 2,941.6 | - 1.3 | - 0.04% |
| Dow Jones Industrial | 12,391.25 | + 73.11 | + 0.59% |
| S&P 500 | 1,343.01 | + 2.58 | + 0.19% |
| NASDAQ | 2,833.95 | + 2.37 | + 0.08% |
| Wilshire 5000 | 14,193.72 | + 19.40 | + 0.14% |
| FTSE 100 | 6,082.99 | - 4.39 | - 0.07% |
| CAC 40 | 4,157.14 | + 4.83 | + 0.12% |
| SMI | 6,717.25 | + 10.78 | + 0.16% |
| DAX | 7,426.81 | + 21.30 | + 0.29% |
| HANG SENG INDEX | 23,595.24 | + 293.40 | + 1.26% |
| STRAIT TIME INDEX | 3,086.92 | + 4.09 | + 0.13% |
| Nikkei 225 | 10,842.80 | + 6.16 | + 0.06% |
| SSE COMPOSITE/d | 2,899.79 | - 27.17 | - 0.93% |
All latest Markets news
Oil prices rise as Mid East unrest escalates
Benchmark crude prices rose on Friday as anti-government clashes in the Middle East kept worries of oil supply disruptions alive ahead of the three-day holiday weekend in the United States.
Euro rises on hopes for higher interest rates
The euro advanced on Friday, bolstered by increased expectations that the European Central Bank would raise interest rates, with further gains likely in the upcoming week.
Broker watch
Broker Watch
Lend Lease Group (LLC)
UBS has downgraded Lend Lease Group to “neutral” from “buy” as the property developer has run up close to its valuation following a good first-half result.
Broker Watch
Bandanna Energy (BND)
UBS started coverage of Bandanna Energy on Friday with an “outperform” rating and a 12-month target price of $2.25.
Taking stock
Taking Stock
AXA Asia Pacific Holdings (AXA)
Shares in AXA Asia Pacific Holdings have barely reacted to the company’s 11 per cent decline in full-year net profit.
Taking Stock
Specialty Fashion Group (SFH)
The multi-branded women’s apparel retailer has advanced 8 per cent this year but is trading on a forward 2012 price-earnings multiple of 8.09, a significant discount to its peers.
Company News - Earnings and Reporting
Winners not necessarily grinners
Miners’ profits are strong but it’s companies in tougher sectors whose shares are rising.
Macarthur flags lower sales, higher prices
Flooded Queensland coal producer Macarthur Coal has cut its 2011 financial year sales guidance again as a result of extended seasonal rainfall, but the company said it could benefit from sustained high prices.
Company News - Mergers and Acquisitions
Nasdaq, ICE consider making joint NYSE bid
With several big financial markets combining - not the least of which are NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Borse - some of the other exchanges are pondering a way to get a piece of the action.
Globalised bourses are the new reality
The New York Stock Exchange’s image of national dominance may need to be mothballed after the announcement that Germany’s Deutsche Bourse plans to buy the NYSE’s parent company, NYSE Euronext.
Equity Markets
Wall Street ends higher for a third week
Late arrivals to the speediest rally in stocks since the Great Depression pushed stocks higher for a third week on Friday, ignoring growing signals of an overheating market.
RBS, Lloyds will pace London trading
Bank annual results and bonuses will drive trading in London again next week, with Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group reporting.
Debt Markets
Bonds gain in line with US market
The Australian bond market ended firmer across the yield curve after overnight gains, despite some backpedalling during the morning.
Westpac prices year’s first RMBS
Debt alert | Westpac Banking Corp. has priced a $1 billion RMBS bond issue, its first since late 2009. The deal signals a sharp improvement in pricing for mortgage-backed bonds.
Currency Markets
Euro rises on hopes for higher interest rates
The euro advanced on Friday, bolstered by increased expectations that the European Central Bank would raise interest rates, with further gains likely in the upcoming week.
Specs trim bets v $US, turn against yen
The value of bets against the dollar fell in the latest week as currency speculators went short the yen for the first time since June, Commodity Futures Trading Commission data showed.
Commodity Markets
Oil prices rise as Mid East unrest escalates
Benchmark crude prices rose on Friday as anti-government clashes in the Middle East kept worries of oil supply disruptions alive ahead of the three-day holiday weekend in the United States.
Copper rises on $US; Vale cuts lift nickel
Copper rose on Friday as the doper centlar softened versus the euro, attracting non-US investors, while news miner Vale would cut some of its nickel output underlining supply concerns.