Job vacancies fall for the first time in years: ASX tracking 0.2% lower at noon
The Australian share market opened higher then fell after early morning trade and is now tracking 0.2 per cent lower at noon. Newcrest (ASX:NCM) shares dropped today after they reported RC drilling had started at the Tanami region of WA. Newcrest is sole funding exploration activities across a series of joint ventures with Encounter in the Tanami and West Arunta regions. Many have been forecasting lower coal prices. Bingo Industries (ASX:BIN) shares are on the rise as are Jumbo (ASX:JIN). The best-performing sector is Infotech while the worst performing sector is Utilities in the first two hours of trade.
The S&P/ASX 200 index is 15 points down at 6,695. On the futures market the SPI points to a slight fall of 0.27 per cent or 19 points lower.
Local economic news
The number of job vacancies in Australia decreased by 1.3 per cent over the August 2019 quarter. In original series terms, Tasmania had the largest percentage increase in vacancies over the year, while the largest percentage decrease in vacancies occurred in Victoria.
Company news
Instalment payment solution company Sezzle (ASX:SZL) is now available to online businesses worldwide through Visa’s CyberSource payment management platform. The relationship means CyberSource merchants will be able to offer Sezzle’s zero-interest ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) solution. Shares in Sezzle (ASX:SZL) are trading 3.3 per cent higher at $2.18.
The Citadel Group (ASX:CGL) says that Sam Weiss has decided not to offer himself for re-election at the Company’s forthcoming Annual General Meeting after a short time with the company. They will continue to seek out additional directors who have global technology experience to support the Citadel 2.0 strategy and the Company’s international expansion. Shares in Citadel Group (ASX:CGL) are 0.7 per cent lower at $3.75
IPO
One of the largest private markets investment managers in the world, Partners Group (ASX:PGG) started trading today. It issued shares at $2:00 and started trading on the ASX at $2:05 and is currently trading at $2:05.
Best and worst performers
The best-performing sector is Infotech, adding 0.7 per cent, while the worst performing sector is Utilities, shedding 1.3 per cent.
The best performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 is Bingo Industries (ASX:BIN). rising 4.7 per cent to $2:25, followed by shares in Monadelphous (ASX:MND) Lendlease Group (ASX:LLC)
The worst performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 is Silver Lake Resources (ASX:SLR), dropping 4.8 per cent to $0.95, followed by shares in Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR) and Newcrest Mining (ASX:NCM).
Asian markets
Japan’s Nikkei has added 0.4 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng has gained 0.5 per cent and the Shanghai Composite has added 0.3 per cent.
Commodities and the dollar
Gold is trading at US$1,508 an ounce.
Iron ore price fell 0.5 per cent to US$90.34
Iron ore futures are pointing to a rise of 1.8 per cent.
One Australian dollar is buying 67.52 US cents.
Copyright 2019 – Finance News Network
Source: Finance News Network
