daytrades march 24 afternoon

Thanks Tweets. Half-time round-up:

Australia's blue-chip index hit a 21-month high this morning, propelling the overall market closer to this year's high-water mark.

At lunchtime the ASX 200 was up 33 points or 0.7% at 4907 and within striking distance of the 2010 peak at 4955. Today's advance was driven by the index's big guns as the ASX 20 (XTL) broke out to its highest level since June 2008.

A broad rally saw all but two sectors rise (industrials and telecoms). The biggest gains came in health +1.5%, consumer discretionary +1.1%, metals & mining +1.1% and financials +1%.

Skilled job vacancies rose this month for the first time since February 2007, according to a new report this morning. Skilled vacancies rose by 2.4% from last month, according to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations index.

Shares in Transurban fell more than 5% after the Futures Fund abandoned plans with two Canadian pension funds for a $6.8 billion bid for the toll-road owner. Transurban rejected a $5.25-a-share offer from the Canadian funds on November 5.

Asian markets followed Wall Street higher. Japan's Nikkei climbed 0.5%, Shanghai 0.6% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng 1%. Dow futures recently dipped to -10.

Oil and gold both sank this morning as the U.S. dollar gained against overseas peers. Crude oil futures dropped 72 cents to $81.19 a barrel. The spot gold price was $1.90 weaker at $1,102.90 an ounce.


Some volatility in the market this morning created a few scalping opportunities. I skimmed profits off ANP, TCL and ICN. Still holding some GWT.