The market is up 2 compared to the 1 point gain the SFE Futures predicted this morning. We were up 23 at best this morning.

Wall Street lost 34 on Friday. Down 4 at best and down 71 at worst. The NASDAQ closed higher. The S&P 500 had its first two week fall since the bottom of March. End of year window dressing and the annual reconstruction of the Russell indices resulted in it being the third highest session by volume this year. Metals down, as was the oil price. Gold up $1.50.

Making the news today…

  • Wesfarmers (WES) announces Coles will sell 45 of its supermarkets and eight Liquorland stores to independent operator FoodWorks as it looks to trim its store network.
  • FKP Property (FKP) completed its institutional entitlement offer at 40c, raising $204m.
  • Avoca Resources (AVO) has upped its FY10 production forecast to 190,000 plus ounces.
  • Gunns (GNS) decides it will proceed with one company to develop a JV agreement for the Bell Bay Pulp Mill and has continued negotiating on financing the project with its banks.
  • Toll Holdings (TOL) says it agrees with Chevron Corp to manage the Barrow Island supply base and logistics services for the Gorgon liquefied natural gas project in WA.
  • Virgin Blue (VBA) announces May passenger numbers were up 0.4% on the year.

In other news today…

  • Commonwealth Bank (CBA) has hit a 7 month high today of 3934. Macquarie Equities and GSJB Were both have sell recommendations on it.
  • Credit Suisse maintain their Neutral recommendation on Boral (BLD) and 485c target price saying although it believes BLD is inexpensive on a mid-cycle basis, its reluctant to be more positive on the stock.
  • Merrill Lynch maintains Incitec Pivot (IPL) at Neutral and 240c target price. Credit Suisse expect it to Outperform with a 310c target price.
  • Wotif.com (WTF) has hit a fresh 52 week high today.
  • Morgan Stanley expect Australian off-market share buybacks to accelerate as a result of the Federal Budget rulings that look to become law in April next year. They say, Seven Network, Harvey Norman, David Jones, Foster’s Group, Metcash and Woolworths are in a strong position to make an off-market buyback.
  • You need to get your RIO Rights issue cheques into the company by close of business on Wednesday. With the rights being worth 2271c you would be a fool not to.
  • It is the last day of the financial year tomorrow. If you have any tax loss selling to do or need to put money into the super fund you had better get on with it.

The Dow Futures predict a 15 point fall on Wall Street tonight.

MARCUS PADLEY is the Author of the MARCUS TODAY Daily Stockmarket Newsletter.

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