Sims Metal Management Limited

Australian shares extended their losses today as the debt issues in Euro zone continued to perplex the global stock markets. The Australian stocks joined the slump in Asian region this morning with a 1.4 per cent fall in S&P/ASX200 index at opening. Japan's Nikkei 225 shed more than 3 per cent in early trade, after the market closed for public holiday for three days.

The Australian sharemarket fell on Thursday as investors digested some mixed earnings results. Investors also managed to take profit for the market after two days gains. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index lost 13 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 4654.9, while the broader All Ordinaries index gave up 12.9 points, or 0.28 per cent to 4673.9.

The Australian sharemarket ended slightly lower on Monday after a positive start driven by a resources sector buoyed by higher commodity prices. The pullback was led by major banks, and consumer staples. At close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 6.4 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 4644.1, while the broader All Ordinaries gave up 6.1 points, or 0.13 per cent, at 4665.8.

US stocks fell for the second day after a downgrade of technology companies such as Intel. Energy and materials shares also showed losses as commodities prices tumbled.

Wall Street closed with an eighth consecutive gain on Thursday, as a series of financial firms rose and energy stocks rallied on the rebound of crude oil prices. The US government figure for GDP showed that the US economy shrank at a 1 per cent annual pace in the second quarter, better than analysts' forecast of 1.5 per cent decline.

Yesterday the Australian market posted a marginal rise as investors were cautious ahead of US jobs data in June. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 3.3 points, or 0.09 per cent higher, at 3877.3 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 2.9 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 3875.2 points.

Yesterday Australian shares closed lower on concern about the health of US banks. The benchmark the S&P/ASX200 index fell 0.6%, or 23.3 points, at 3867.1, while the broader All Ordinaries index was down 0.6%, or 22.1 points, at 3840.1.

The Australian shares were marginally lower on Friday. On Friday the benchmark S&P/ASX200 ended 10.9 points, or 0.3%, lower at 3769.6, while the broader All Ordinaries fell 6.8 points, or 0.2%, to 3737.9.

During yesterday's trading, Australian stocks closed lower for the second consecutive day on Thursday, falling by more than 4%. The market was dragged down by big losses in the resources sector amid renewed fears of a global economic slowdown. The two days drop gave up all the gains early this week.

Overnight Wall Street closed more than 5% down on growing fears that the spiralling credit crisis would drag the US economy into a recession. While the global financial crisis deepened, RBA cut the interest rate by a full percentage point, double the amount that had been expected.