Australian stocks ended flat on Wednesday as shares gave up early gains in the afternoon dragged by banks. Miners advanced as investors were optimistic about the iron ore prices. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 1.6 points at 4925.9 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index lifted 7.7 points, or 0.15 per cent, to 4947.2 points.
Wall Street shares closed mixed as investors took a breather after the new year's rally and turned cautious ahead of the payroll and employment data due on Friday. Yesterday Asian shares ended mostly higher following the good performance in Wall Street. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 2.1 per cent higher while Shanghai Composite added 1.2 per cent.
The Australian share market closed lower on Friday hit by National Australia Bank and Telstra. At close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index fell 19.8 points, or 0.42 per cent, to 4650.5 while the broader All Ordinaries lost 17.7 points, or 0.38 per cent, at 4671.9. The Australian dollar fell to a fresh 10-week low on Friday and closed at US$0.8888.
Asian shares mostly opened flat this morning. Wall Street closed higher on Friday after the reports of consumer sector lifted investor confidence. The data also fuelled the expectations the US interest rates could hike soon. British and European shares also gained at after strong Chinese growth data.
The Australian sharemarket closed marginally lower in light trading yesterday as banks were down on concerns that bad debts could increase after interest rate rise. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index gave up 5.9 points, or 0.13 per cent, at 4670.60, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 0.19 per cent to 4686.40 points.
Australian market Monday ended lower in a thin trade led by resources stocks, as commodities prices dropped on a sharp rise in US dollar. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index fell 25.7 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 4676.5, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 26 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 4695.2.
Most Asian stock markets were lower Friday due to some profit taking selling before the release of US non-farm payrolls data.
