THE sharemarket started the week with a modest loss, failing to jump on the bandwagon of positive international news as gains in miners offset losses among banks.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index slipped 9.7 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 4573.5, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 7.1 points, or 0.2 per cent to 4588.
Goldminers fell 2.8 per cent, financials dropped 0.5 per cent and consumer staples were down 0.7 per cent. Telecommunications rose 0.9 per cent and materials inched up 0.2 per cent.
"We were expecting a little bit more of a pick-up, especially since we saw some great gains coming through in Japan today," said CommSec markets analyst Juliette Saly.
Japan's Nikkei index rose more than 1 per cent to eight-month highs after the election of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, which supports further monetary easing, at the weekend. This caused the yen to weaken against the US dollar and the Australian dollar, with the local currency fetching Y88.7 in late trading.
The dollar was also up against its American counterpart, trading around US105.40?.
Ms Saly said the market also failed to gain on the news of progress in "fiscal cliff" talks between US President Barack Obama and House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner.
Among other concessions, Mr Boehner has offered an increase in the tax rate for individuals earning more than $US1 million a year in return for $US1 trillion in spending cuts on government benefit programs.
Democrats rejected the offer, but the fact that Republicans were willing to concede a higher tax rate for the rich showed the talks were moving forward.
Despite the strong performance of the miners in recent weeks, ANZ drastically cut its interest rates forecast for next year, citing weak growth in the mining sector, higher unemployment and the strong dollar as the reasons behind the 100- basis-point drop.
Locally, the big miners were up again: BHP added 0.8 per cent to $36.35, while rival Rio Tinto rose 0.8 per cent to $63.52.
Fortescue jumped 3.7 per cent to $4.47, as investors continued to reward the iron ore miner, which is seen to be making an effort to pay down its large debt.
"[Fortescue's] share price has been up about 15 per cent since the beginning of December, on the fact that it's really trying to get its $6 billion debt burden down," Ms Saly said.
Along with selling out its share in the Nullagine iron ore project for $190 million, the company said on Monday it would also sell a minority stake in its mining infrastructure assets, which include rails and ports. These assets are valued between $US4 billion and $US6 billion.
Shares in Billabong jumped after media reports that the president of the American arm of the company had offered $1.10 a share for the company. Before entering a trading halt, shares in the surfwear retailer jumped 4.8 per cent to 98?.
All the big four banks posted losses, Westpac down 0.9 per cent to $25.75, ANZ 0.6 per cent to $24.49, CBA 0.6 per cent to $61.29 and NAB 0.5 per cent to $24.48.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
What happened to the ASX 200 index today and how did the All Ordinaries perform?
The S&P/ASX 200 slipped 9.7 points (about 0.2%) to 4,573.5, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 7.1 points (about 0.2%) to 4,588. The market started the week with a modest loss despite positive overseas headlines.
Why didn't positive overseas news lift the Australian sharemarket?
Although international news was upbeat – including a rally in Japan’s Nikkei and progress in US 'fiscal cliff' talks – the gains in miners were offset by losses among banks and other sectors, so the ASX failed to make a meaningful pick-up.
How did miners and materials stocks perform on the market day covered in the article?
Materials inched up about 0.2% overall. Major miners performed well: BHP rose 0.8% to $36.35, Rio Tinto gained 0.8% to $63.52 and Fortescue jumped 3.7% to $4.47. However, gold miners as a group fell around 2.8%.
What did ANZ say about interest rates and why is that important for investors?
ANZ drastically cut its interest rate forecast for next year by about 100 basis points, citing weak growth in the mining sector, higher unemployment and a strong dollar. For investors, a lower rates outlook can affect bank profits, bond yields and investor sentiment across sectors exposed to domestic growth.
Why did Fortescue's shares rise and what debt-reduction steps did the company announce?
Investors rewarded Fortescue as its share price rose after signs it was tackling a large debt load. The company sold its stake in the Nullagine iron ore project for $190 million and said it would sell a minority stake in mining infrastructure (rails and ports) valued at roughly US$4–6 billion. The stock has risen as the company works to reduce about US$6 billion of debt.
What triggered the jump in Billabong shares and what happened after the news?
Media reports said the president of Billabong's US arm offered $1.10 a share for the company, which caused the surfwear retailer's stock to jump about 4.8% before it entered a trading halt.
How did Australia’s big four banks perform and how did that affect market sectors?
All four major banks posted losses on the day: Westpac fell 0.9% to $25.75, ANZ dropped 0.6% to $24.49, CBA slipped 0.6% to $61.29 and NAB eased 0.5% to $24.48. Financials as a sector were down around 0.5%, which weighed on the broader market.
Did the Japan election and US fiscal talks influence Australian markets?
Yes. Japan’s Nikkei rose more than 1% to eight‑month highs after the conservative Liberal Democratic Party won and signalled support for further monetary easing, which weakened the yen (the Australian dollar was trading around ¥88.7 in late trade). Progress in US fiscal cliff talks was also noted, but neither development produced a strong lift in the Australian market that day.
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