News Service from House Harris

Aust stocks weak at noon, after falls in US stocks

INDEX MOVEMENT POSITION INDEX MOVEMENT POSITION

S&PASX200 -42.3 3610.7 Dow Jones -223.73 8273.58

All Ords -41.0 3598.5 S&P 500 -22.54 850.75

SPI contract -69.0 3627.0 Nasdaq -34.8 1482.05

GoldUSoz -4.35 737.40 Nikkei -157.51 8365.07

$AUSD -.0011 0.6443 NZSE-50 -15.553 2726.362

SYDNEY, Nov 18 AAP - The Australian stockmarket remained weak at noon, led by a slump in the materials sector, after falls on Wall St overnight.

At 1215 AEDT, the benchmark S&PASX200 index was down 42.3 points, or 1.16 per cent, at 3610.7 while the broader All Ordinaries dropped 41 points, or 1.13 per cent, to 3598.5.

On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the December share price index futures contract was down 69 points, or 1.87 per cent, at 3627 points on a volume of 15,001 contracts.

ABN Amro Morgans Brisbane director of equities Bill Chatterton said the market was mixed after falls in US stocks.

"Our market today is down one per cent ... and it's just moving around thatone per cent mark at the moment," Mr Chatterton said.

"As to what sectors of the market are being impacted, it's kind of across the board.

"BHP and Rio are off today, but there are a couple of positive areas.

"There's all kinds of volatility buzzing around the market."

Resource giants BHP Billiton and its rival Rio Tinto both dropped, with BHPdown eight cents, at25.02 and Rio shedding $1.72, or 2.34 per cent, to $71.72.

Despite a fall in oil prices overnight, energy stocks were mixed.

Australia's biggest oil and gas producer, Woodside Petroleum, was up 88 cents, or 2.46 per cent, to36.68, Santos was off 18 cents, or 1.37 per cent to12.97 and Oil Search shed 24 cents, or 4.62 per cent, to $4.95.

Stock Move Price

AMP +0.030 5.310

ANZ Bank +0.100 13.340

BHPBilton -0.090 25.010

CBA -0.710 30.620

NAB -0.050 18.880

NewsCorp -0.570 10.930

Polartech - .075

Rio Tinto -1.570 71.870

TelstraCp -0.060 4.170

WestpacBk -0.110 16.210

Woolwrths -0.790 27.110

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