Insurance Australia Group Limited

Diversified investment company Chapmans Limited (ASX:CHP) is pleased to announce the appointment of leading blockchain expert Alex Taylor to its recently established Blockchain Industry Advisory Board.

Last year some of the Best 'Investment Desirability' stocks in their sectors were AMC, BAP, CSL, GMG, IAG, SEK, TPM and WBC, but which stocks will be the best for 'Investment Desirability' in 2017? Fund managers are able to vote now to determine this year's winners. Voting will be closing down asap.

Asian Activities Report for August 16, 2011 includes: Insurance Australia Group Limited (ASX:IAG) has agreed to acquire a 20% strategic interest in a general insurer in China; Empire Resources Limited (ASX:ERL) reported high grade copper intersections of up to 19 metres at 1.85% from the A Zone prospect; BrightStar Resources Limited (ASX:BUT) today announced results from its first pass exploration drilling at the 520,000oz Miyabi Gold Project in Tanzania; Intrepid Mines Limited (ASX:IAU) reported further encouraging gold and copper assay results from the on-going drilling program at the copper-gold zone of the Tujuh Bukit Project in Indonesia.

The Australian stocks market on Tuesday extended gains as Dow Jones index hit a two-month high due to strong US new home sales and corporate earnings.
Shortly after the opening bell, the S&P/ASX200 Index rose 0.74 per cent, and the broader All Ordinaries Index was up 0.7 per cent.

The Australian shares Wednesday continued to decline in early trade, led by financial stocks. Overnight Wall Street closed lower in a choppy trade as investors wobbled on Europe's debt issues despite the upbeat US economic data. Meanwhile, declines energy sector weighed on US stocks, after the US government said it was starting civil and criminal investigations on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Australian stocks rose Wednesday following encouraging earnings result from media group News Corp. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 42.6 points, or 0.9 per cent, at 4647.9, while the broader All Ordinaries index rose 44.4 points, or 1 per cent, to 4673.2.

US stocks overnight closed at a new high for the year as the G20 finance ministers and central bankers pledged to keep stimulus measures until a recovery was certain. Dow jumped more than 200 points for the session, with 29 of the index's 30 components finished in the green.

Wall Street made a third consecutive day gain overnight as some latest economic data shows that the recession is bottoming out. Financials were also buoyed after Insurance giant American International Group said it expects to repay the government.

Yesterday the Australian share market was bolstered by favorable local and overseas economic data. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 60.9 points, or 1.56 per cent, to 3955.3 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index surged 60.2 points, or 1.55 per cent, at 3948.1 points.

Australian share closed at their five-year low point. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 was down 0.1%, or 4.1 points, at 3327.5, while the broader All Ordinaries index also fell 0.1%, or 3.5 points, at 3281.5.