Breville Group Limited

The 2017 East Coles Corporate Performance Research has been completed and the Results are in. The Top 10 Finalists from the S&P/ASX100 for the 'Best Companies' category for 2017 (not in ranked order) are: AGL, AMC, APA, BTT, CSL, JHG, RHC, TCL, TPG, WES.

Last year some of the Best Boards in their sectors were AMC, CBA, MFG, BXB and SYD, but who will be the Best Boards for 2017? Fund managers are able to vote now to determine this year's winners. Voting will be closing down Friday 28 July.

The Australian sharemarket sharply fell on Wednesday with all sectors in the red. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index lost 73.3 points, or 1.6 per cent, at 4644.6 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 73.1 points, or 1.5 per cent, to 4670.

The Australian share market posted a strong gain boosted by banks and miners on Tuesday after good lead from European markets and Wall Street. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 69.1 points, or 1.49 per cent, at 4704.2 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index surged 64.9 points, or 1.39 per cent, to 4724.4.

The Australian sharemarket gave up early gains on Wednesday after the GDP figures released by Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a disappointing result in economy growth. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 11.6 points lower, or 0.2 per cent, at 4661.9, while the broader All Ordinaries slashed 11.7 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 4676.1

On Friday, the US stocks were boosted by the encouraging earnings from major retailers and The Walt Disney Co. A record number of U.S. companies beat earnings expectations in the third quarter. This week a new round of economic data including retail sales, inflation readings and housing starts will be the focus after most corporate results already reported.

Dow Jones Industrial Average edged higher overnight towards the 10,000 points psychological level, helped by a market confidence on corporate earnings of blue chip companies. Energy stocks were also up on the back of a jump in crude oil prices.

Overnight the US stocks closed higher on the positive Alcoa earnings and better-than-expected weekly jobless claims and consumer spending. Investors were also encouraged by the US retailers' first same-store sales gains in more than a year.

Wall Street posted a fourth day on Friday rise as the US existing home sales data gave investors more confidence that it is the end of the recession. For the week The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained almost 2 per cent, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index added 2.2%.