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Returning from the Christmas break the Australian share market looks to lift into the last week of the year after US markets hit more records. Positive leads follow Wall Street rising amid expectations the US Federal Reserve will continue to remain patient with increasing interest rates. On the economic front US consumer sentiment was show to be near eight-year highs while durable goods orders and new home sales fell last month.
Global markets
Wall Street closed higher on Friday: The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1 per cent to close at 18,054, the S&P 500 rose 0.3 per cent to close at 2,089 and the Nasdaq rose 0.7 per cent to close at 4,807.
European markets ended mixed before Christmas: London's FTSE 100 added 0.2 per cent, France's CAC 40 dipped 0.4 per cent and Germany's DAX firmed 0.6 per cent.
Asian markets finished last week stronger: Japan’s Nikkei firmed 0.1 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.1 per cent, and China’s Shanghai Composite jumped 2.8 per cent.
The Australian share market enjoyed some festive cheer and rose 0.3 per cent before the extended break: The S&P/ASX 200 index gained 13.6 points on Christmas Eve, extending the weekly gain of 56 points to finish last week 5,395. On the futures market the SPI is 28 points higher.
Currencies
The Australian dollar at 8:30am was buying $US0.8126, 52.25 Pence Sterling, 97.79 Yen and 66.71 Euro cents.
Company news
Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX:WBC) will donate $60,000 following the Sydney siege in which four of its employees were held hostage. The bank says the donation will be made in memory of those who died and include $30,000 for the Tori Johnson Memorial Fund supporting mental health charity Beyond Blue. A $30,000 donation will also be made to the Katrina Dawson Memorial Foundation which has been established to support women’s education. Shares in Westpac Banking Corporation rose 0.46 per cent to close at $32.90 on Christmas Eve.
Telstra Corporation Limited (ASX:TLS) has predicted record breaking mobile network traffic this festive season. Prior to the Christmas break Australia’s largest telco forecast data traffic to rise by 30 per cent on last year on its network with more than 57 million calls expected on Christmas Eve alone. Network traffic is predicted to peak between 11pm and 1am on New Year’s Eve with an anticipated 300 per cent increase. Shares in Telstra Corporation fell 0.84 per cent to close at $5.91 on Christmas Eve.
Commodities
Gold has fallen $3.70 to $US1,174 an ounce for the February contract on Comex.
Silver has dropped $0.04 to $15.73 for March.
Copper has eased $0.02 to $2.85 a pound.
Oil has lost $1.73 to $US55.39 a barrel for March light crude in New York.
Ex-dividends
Ardent Leisure Group (ASX:AAD) paying a 7 cent unfranked dividend
Aurora Absolute Return Fund (ASX:ABW) paying a 1.53 cent, 259.28 per cent franked dividend
Amp Capital China Growth Fund (ASX:AGF) paying a 2.986 cent unfranked dividend
Aurora Global Income Trust (ASX:AIB) paying a 2.16 cent unfranked dividend
Astro Japan Property Group (ASX:AJA) paying a 12.5 cent unfranked dividend
Aust Industrial REIT (ASX:ANI) paying an 8.6 cent unfranked dividend
Aurora Div Income (ASX:AOD) paying a 0.46 cent, 20.21 per cent franked dividend
Aurora Sandringham Dividend Income Trust (ASX:APW) paying a 0.1317 cent unfranked dividend
Aspen Group (ASX:APZ) paying a 4.5 cent unfranked dividend
Arena REIT. (ASX:ARF) paying a 2.4625 cent unfranked dividend
Aurora Property Buy-Write Income Trust (ASX:AUP) paying a 10.88 cent unfranked dividend
Australian Enhanced Income Fund (ASX:AYF) paying a 10 cent, 29 per cent franked dividend
Brookfield Prime Property Fund (ASX:BPA) paying a 2 cent unfranked dividend
BWP Trust (ASX:BWP) paying a 7.6 cent unfranked dividend
Carindale Property Trust (ASX:CDP) paying a 16.7 cent unfranked dividend
Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) paying a 12.1 cent unfranked dividend
Cromwell Group (ASX:CMW) 1.9375 cent unfranked dividend
Charter Hall Retail (ASX:CQR) 13.7 cent unfranked dividend
Duet Group (ASX:DUE) paying an 8.75 cent unfranked dividend
Dexus Property Group (ASX:DXS) paying a 19.68 cent unfranked dividend
Emerging Master Fund (ASX:EMF) paying a 3 cent unfranked dividend
Elanor Investors Group (ASX:ENN) paying a 4.6 cent unfranked dividend
Ethane Pipeline (ASX:EPX) paying a 3.25 cent, 77.1 per cent franked dividend
Federation Centres Limited (ASX:FDC) paying an 8.4 cent unfranked dividend
Folkestone Education Trust (ASX:FET) paying a 3.175 cent unfranked dividend
Folkestone Social Infrastructure Trust (ASX:FST) paying a 5.25 cent unfranked dividend
GDI Property Group (ASX:GDI) paying a 3.75 cent unfranked dividend
Gen Healthcare REIT (ASX:GHC) paying a 4.2 cent unfranked dividend
Galileo Japan Trust (ASX:GJT) paying a 6.7 cent unfranked dividend
Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) paying a 11.1 cent unfranked dividend
Growthpoint Property (ASX:GOZ) paying a 9.8 cent unfranked dividend
GPT Group (ASX:GPT) paying a 10.7 cent unfranked dividend
Hotel Property Investments (ASX:HPI) paying a 7.9 cent unfranked dividend
Industria REIT (ASX:IDR) paying an 8.36 cent unfranked dividend
Investa Office Fund (ASX:IOF) paying a 9.55 cent unfranked dividend
ALE Property Group (ASX:LEP) paying an 8.4 cent unfranked dividend
Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) paying a 4.5 cent unfranked dividend
National Storage (ASX:NSR) paying a 4 cent unfranked dividend
Novion Property Goup (ASX:NVN) paying a 6.9 cent unfranked dividend
Reef Casino Trust (ASX:RCT) paying a 17.25 cent unfranked dividend
SCA Property Group (ASX:SCP) paying a 5.6 cent unfranked dividend
Stockland (ASX:SGP) paying a 12 cent unfranked dividend
Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) paying a 12 cent unfranked dividend
Transurban Group (ASX:TCL) paying a 19. cent, 17.94 per cent franked dividend
360 Capital Group (ASX:TGP) paying a 1.479 cent unfranked dividend
360 Cap Industrial Fund (ASX:TIX) paying a 5.0675 cent unfranked dividend
360 Capital Office Fund (ASX:TOF) paying a 4.25 cent unfranked dividend
US Masters Residential Property Fund (ASX:URF) paying a 5 cent unfranked dividend
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