Good afternoon traders,DOW futures: 10827 -11 -0.1% Gold...

Good afternoon traders,

DOW futures: 10827 -11 -0.1%
Gold futures: 1643 +1.3 0.08% atm
Hang Seng: 16,949 +697 +4.29%
AUD/USD: 0.964

From AAP:
THE Australian share market has continued its rally, led by miners and banks on renewed investor optimism a plan to help ease the eurozone debt crisis is imminent.

At 10.18am (AEDT) the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index opened 70.3 points, or 1.79 per cent, higher at 3996.8 while the broader All Ordinaries index added 68.6 points, or 1.72 per cent, to 4061.1.

The December share price index futures contract was up 67 points at 4002 with about 14,454 contracts traded.

Cameron Securities client adviser Adrian Leppinus said the movement showed there was renewed optimism that European leaders were preparing a plan to contain the Greek crisis and to protect the region's banks from the effects of a Greek debt default.

In local trade, along with the banks, the materials and energy sectors led the market, up 2.9 and 2.3 per cent, respectively.

Among the miners, BHP Billiton rose 2.3 per cent, or 85 cents, to $45.98, while fellow miner Rio Tinto gained 3.1 per cent, or $1.95, to $62.15.

Atlas Iron rose 14 cents, or five per cent, to $2.94.

Paladin Energy was the best performing stock on the S&P/ASX100 index, up 7.3 per cent, or nine cents, to $1.26.

The worst performer was Transurban Group, which fell four cents, or 0.76 per cent, to $5.24.


Stocks to watch at noon on Thursday:

FML - FOCUS MINERALS LTD - up 0.2 cents, or 3.28 per cent, at 6.3 cents

CRE - CRESCENT GOLD LTD - last traded at five cents

Gold producer Focus Minerals has maintained its production target of more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually after completing its $68 million take-over of Crescent Gold.

MCC - MACARTHUR COAL LTD - up four cents, to $15.84

PEAMCOAL extends its Macarthur Coal Ltd take-over offer period to October 28.

QAN - QANTAS AIRWAYS LTD - up 4.5 cents, or 3.27 per cent, at $1.42

RIO - RIO TINTO LTD - up $2.53, or 4.2 per cent, at $62.83

Qantas announces it has signed a new, three-year agreement with Rio Tintounder, to continue as the major air service provider for Rio Tinto's Australian and international operations.

PBG - PACIFIC BRANDS LTD - up 1.25 cents, or 1.85 per cent, at 68.75

A former worker at clothing manufacturer Pacific Brands says older workers are being discriminated against as the structural change in the economy shifts jobs offshore.

SGP - STOCKLAND GROUP - up two cents, at $2.99

Stockland Property Group has welcomed the dropping of legal action against its Caloundra South urban development project on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

WEB - WEBJET LTD - up nine cents, or 4.66 per cent, at $2.02

Online travel agency Webjet says the value of its ticket sales in the three months to September was up by 25 per cent on the same period last year.


Good Luck!

Suzie.