WorleyParsons Limited

US equities fell for a third straight day on Friday as Dell's disappointing earnings result dragged the US stocks lower. Energy and materials companies were weighed down after European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet indicated that supportive stimulus measures must soon be unwound, prompting traders to buy US dollar.

Wall Street maintained its positive run on Wednesday session as the Federal Reserve officials tipped that the central bank could keep interest rate at historical low level. The Chinese economic data released yesterday also added confidence to global recovery hopes. European markets also rallied on low interest rate expectations.

Overnight Wall Street extended its gains on Reserve Bank of Australia's unexpected decision to raise the official interest rate. Investors saw the first rate hike in advanced economies since the global financial crisis as a key indication of recovery. The move also pushed commodities higher with gold soaring to a record.

Wall Street ended its three-day rally after mixed economic data overnight. New claims for unemployment benefits in the US fell for the second consecutive week, but housing starts rose a less-than-expected 1.5 per cent compared with the prior month.

Wall Street posted a fourth day on Friday rise as the US existing home sales data gave investors more confidence that it is the end of the recession. For the week The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained almost 2 per cent, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index added 2.2%.

Murchison Metals Limited (ASX:MMX)(PINK:MUMTF) welcomes the appointment of WorleyParsons as Project Management Study Contractor to the Oakajee Port and Rail Project. Murchison has a 50% interest in Oakajee Port and Rail (OPR), the project developer.

Yesterday the Australian shares were showing their resilience to the bad leads from overseas. The market ended with a modest drop after a rebound from the early losses. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 ended down 0.6%, or 19.6 points, at 3331.6, while the broader All Ordinaries index also fell 0.6%, or 19.1 points, to 3285.

The Australian share market yesterday closed around 3% higher. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 101.3 points, or 3.03 per cent, at 3444, while the broader All Ordinaries index lifted 92 points, or 2.79 per cent, to 3392.3. With the positive lead of Wall St. the market is expected to continue its upward movement today.

This morning shortly after open the Australia market has joined the rally with S&P/ASX200 up 4.3%, or 162.7 points, to 3957.3 points. Yesterday Australian shares suffered their fifth consecutive day of losses, hitting fresh four-year lows, as falls by the big banks eclipsed gains by miners. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 share index was down 14.6 points, or 0.4%, to 3794.6, recovering from an earlier drop of as much as 2.2%. Analysts expected the next few weeks ahead a relief period.

The Australian 2008 National Mining Awards recognise the globally competitive Australian mining sector.