Midday Market Roundup 06/08/08

Sydney, Aug 6, 2008 (ABN Newswire) - The market is up 132. Financials rocketing – up 4.2% after the strong lead from the US. The main theme has changed in the last 24 hours from inflation fears and pressure on interest rates to lower inflation and interest rate cuts. It is a very important change in market thinking and at the risk of crying "Wolf" is a significant foundation for a market rally from here….whereas other rallies have been little more than a thrashing herd changing direction.

RBA set to cut rates in Septemberwith a 68% chance of a 50bp point cut factored into Futures markets. Property flying – up 3.8%. Building stocks strong.  SFE Futures were up 88 this morning. Resources also up 2.0% but getting left behind.

Dow up 331 up 332 at best. Gradually rose all session and closed on high. Dow up the most in four months. All 10 sectors up. 7 sectors up more than 2%. 91% of S&P500 components up. FOMC leave the Fed funds rate unchanged at 2.00%.Key point: Oil fell to a 3-month low and resources fell - the talk on CNBC this morning is that the Fed expect commodity prices to fall allowing them to ease up on the prospect of interest rate rises. Some signs of growth - July's ISM non-manufacturing index up more than expected. Crude down another 2.4%helped oil-sensitive stocks. Consumer discretionary sector up 4.4% (steepest advance in 5-years), Retailers up 5.3%, Airlines up 9.4% and Transportation up 4.9%. Commodities CRB Index lost 10% in July – steepest decline in 29-years as oil, copper and wheat prices plummeted. Energy underperformed on falling oil prices – only up 1.1%. Financials up a whopping 5.1% - helped by a rise in European banks after Paris's Societe Generale posted better-than-expected earnings. AIG led the jump – up 12% on an upgrade to BUY at UBS. Mortgage related stocks jumped – MBIA up 8.79%, AMBAC 12.89%, the 2F's (Fannie and Freddie) up 14.96% and 6.91%.


Both BHP and RIO down in ADR form overnight, 2.09% and 2.42% respectively. BHP up 93c to 3675c. RIO up 311c to 11390c.
Metals mixed overnight – Copper up 0.44% and Aluminium up 0.64%. Zinc down 1.31% and Nickel down 2.31%. Oz Minerals up 6.1% or 10c to 173c.

Oil price down $2.74 to $118.71 on belief that a slower US economy will reduce demand. WPL up 69c to 5189c.

Gold down $21.70 to $881.80. NCM down 71c to 2560c.

Bonds down with the 10 year yield up to 4.02% from 3.97%.

Gold stocks getting belted again today - as a hedge against inflation Gold will struggle with the lower inflation theme.


Stocks that struggle with a higher A$ doing well todayon hopes that interest rates and the A%$ have peaked. Talk of the A$ going under 90c.

Australian Housing Finance slumps 3.7% in June- more than the 2.0% expected – investor housing finance also down 0.3%. Weak numbers will support the RBA's bias towards cutting rates.

Most Oil stocks updespite an overnight fall in the oil price.



Asciano (AIO) up 6c to 501c on results and comments that they have had approaches for their assets. The company rejected a private equity bid on Monday at 440c.



News Corp's (NWS) up 4Q results see a 27% jump in net income. Said their pace of growth will ease and that more challenging economic conditions are ahead. Well received in the Us and here and benefiting from the fall in the A$. NWS up 3.84% or 62c to 1672c.



Corporate Express (CXP) half year results not flash and contains net profit guidance of $61.7m-$66.1m. CXP negotiating with possible acquisition targets. Weres think result disappointing and they are reviewing forecasts. CXP flat at 560c.



ResMed (RMD) announced 4Q net profit grew by 7% and FY08 earnings up 66%. CEO says well positioned to deliver strong growth in FY09. RMD up 13.65% or 55c to 458.

NAB announced the first phase of its Next Generation Platform initiative to replace core banking systems over the next 5-years. Up 90c to 2565c.

Beach Petroleum (BPT) announced substantial coal seam gas reserves upgrade – 282% jump in probable reserves at Surat Basin. BPT up 4c or 3.85% to 108c.

Newcrest Mining (NCM) says partial gas from Varanus island now flowing to Telfer mine – 50% of gas to Telfer under contract with Apache will now be possible. NCM down 2.7% or 71c to 2560c.

Tower Australia(TWR) said St George Bank's switch to AIG Life as favoured new life insurance partner will impact around $60m on TWR's $700m in-force book. No impact on FY08 with slight profit impact in FY09. TWR up 4.62% or 7.5c to 170c.

Tabcorp (TAH) tipped by Weres to spend $400m in capex for its Star City casino. TAH expected to write down the value of its Victorian gambling license in FY results tomorrow. Analysts consensus for net profit before one-offs is $515m, up 14% on last year. TAH up 21c to 877c.

PanAust (PNA) confirms high-grade Copper-Gold at Puthep, Thailand – project study at feasibility stage and to be completed 1H09. PNA up 1.5c to 70.5c.

Seven's (SEV) FY year results yesterday sees brokers holding or cutting target prices this morning – acquisitions seen as the key to unlocking value - buyback to support share price. SEV up 11c to 850c.

PaperlinX (PPX) being tipped by JP Morgan to report FY08 net profit of $50m, 32% down on FY07 on August 21st. PPX up 12.44% or 25c to 226c.

WA News (WAN) tipped by JP Morgan to post FY profit of $126m later today. WAN up 2.57% or 23c to 919c.

 

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