The benchmark index cracked 5800 for the first time in three weeks before paring gains as the dollar retreated on news the unemployment rate lurched higher last month.
At 1pm EST the ASX 200 was 11 points or 0.2% ahead at 5785 after hitting 5801 before the 11.30am EST release of unexpectedly weak unemployment figures. The dollar lost a quarter of a cent as the jobless rate jumped to 5.9% last month from a January rate of 5.7% as the economy lost 6,400 jobs. A 27,100 improvement in full-time positions was overshadowed by a decline of 33,500 part-time jobs. The dollar was lately buying 76.89 US cents on expectations that the soft data will dampen calls for higher interest rates.
Resource stocks provided the momentum, with the gold sector up 3.5%, metals & mining 2.7%, materials 1.9% and energy 1.1%. At the other end, financials lost almost 0.7%, health 0.5% and consumer staples 0.3%.
China's Shanghai Composite put on 0.66% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng 1.04%. Japan's Nikkei eased 0.03%. Dow futures were recently up 30 points or 0.14%.
Crude oil futures rallied 33 cents or 0.68% this morning to US$49.19 a barrel. Gold futures surged $23.50 or 1.96% to US$1,224.20 an ounce.
Trading: be a stunning day if I still held yesterday's buys - CPH, AC8, RGI and EOS. Alas, I took the conservative option and let them go last night. The daytrader's lament. Instead I've been battling the bots on BLG and looking under cushions, down the back of the couch for other trades. Ho hum.
