Half-time round-up:The local market is on track for a new 2009...

Half-time round-up:

The local market is on track for a new 2009 closing high, supported by surging resources stocks and a bounce in the financial sector.

At lunchtime the ASX 200 was up 75 points or 1.57% at 4868 as the mining sector put on 2.1% and financial stocks added 1.8%. The index's previous highest close this year was 4859.9 last Thursday.

US futures were positive after Apple's well-received profit result, posted after last night's market close. Dow futures were recently +27.

Asian markets rallied. The Nikkei was up 1.05% and South Korea 0.5%. Gold continued to push north. The spot price was recently $1066.60. Crude oil futures also extended overnight gains, recently returning to $79.69 a barrel.


Been a very nice morning here. Grabbed NHC near the open but sold out too soon - solid profit but there was a week's wage in that trade with more patience. Also rode OSH - there's so much cash desperate to enter this market that any lower open is a buying opportunity. Easing out of AVD - no liquidity, shouldn't have been there. Caught ORP at 7.5.