Aust stocks lower at noon

The Australian stock market is lower at noon after a mixed close on Wall Street on Friday, and as investors await Chinese GDP numbers, due for release at 1300 AEDT.

At 1205 AEDT, the benchmark index S&P/ASX200 index fell 0.74% to 5,266.7 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index declined 0.69% to 5,279.7 points.

Materials were mixed.

BHP Billiton was flat at $37.89, while rival Rio Tinto inclined 0.02% to $66.33.

Fortescue Metals fell 0.88% to $5.63, while Newcrest Mining rallied 4.68% to $9.62.

Whitehaven Coal fell 0.53% to $1.87, while Santos fell 1.27% to $14.325.

Oil Search lost 1.22% to $8.10 and Woodside Petroleum fell 1.79% to $38.42.

Financials were mostly lower.

ANZ retreated 1.06% to $30.70, while Commonwealth Bank decreased 0.61% to $75.01.

National Australia Bank lost 0.92% to $33.43, while Westpac gave up 1.04% to $31.27.

Investment bank Macquarie Group declined 2.09% to $52.83.

In insurance, IAG fell 1.75% to $5.62, Suncorp shed 1.5% to $12.835 and QBE rose 0.26% to $11.63.

The retail sector was broadly weaker.

Woolworths retreated 0.75% to $33.935, while Wesfarmers declined 1.21% to $43.17.

Myer declined 1.13% to $2.63, while rival David Jones shed 0.33% to $3.05.

Harvey Norman lost 0.61% to $3.24, while JB Hi-Fi fell 3.21% to $19.60.

In media, Fairfax Media rose 1.14% to 66.75 cents and News Corp fell 0.68% to $19.10.

21st Century Fox lost 1.7% to $35.33.

Ten Network gained 1.52% to 33.5 cents, while Seven West rose 0.46% to $2.18 and Southern Cross Media fell 4.13% to $1.5675

Telstra fell 0.76% to $5.20, while Qantas lost 0.23% to $1.1025.

In economic news, the TD Securities Monthly Inflation Gauge for December showed that inflation rose 0.7% in the month.

No major equities news is expected.

In Australia, the market on Friday closed lower, despite solid gains in the resources sector.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 3.2 points, or 0.06%, lower at 5,305.9.

The broader All Ordinaries index was down 3.0 points, or 0.06%, at 5,316.4.