daytrade diaries... june 11 part 2

Half-time round-up:

Australian shares pushed to a new 2009 high this morning, aided by gains in the big miners and a smaller rise in unemployment last month than expected.

At lunchtime, the ASX 200 was up 19 points or 0.5% at 4043. As has been the story all week, the gains were fronted by metals & mining (+2%), materials (1.8%) and energy (1.7%).

Asian markets were mixed. The Nikkei was down 0.3% in morning trade and the Hang Seng up 0.27%. Dow futures were recently +21. Gold continued to track sideways, recently trading at $954.70. Oil broke north, adding 50 cents this morning to $71.85.

I spent much of the morning jousting with a sell-bot in OGC. Three successful trades closed out for a couple of points each time but the bot is like Terminator - just keeps coming. Not big money but it adds up. Also closed a small bounce trade in SHL. MDT developing very much as hoped. Less successfully, took a position in AWE, which is now well on its way to replacing BPT as the share whose price action I understand least. Position currently underwater.