AUSTRALIA Market struggle

Press, 24 July 1986, Page 30

AUSTRALIA Market struggle

NZPA-AAP Sydney Australian sharemarkets closed barely steady, as investor sentiment struggled to remain bullish in the wake of a weaker dollar and easing bullion prices. Brokers said the high volume was largely options and BHP-related, and they expect little movement in the market ahead of the Federal Budget. BHP closed 2c easier at 836, on a solid turnover of 4.3 million shares and Elders IXL lost 5c to 490, with 780,000 shares traded. Elsewhere among the leaders the Bell Group rose 10c to 820 and Adsteam, which brokers believed was covering a short position on BHP, eased 30c to 1070. On the industrials board, the weaker dollar was offset by demand among quality industrials issues, especially among finance and media stocks. In the insurance sector, FAI fell 4c to 672, but NZI firmed 15c to 172 Closing

quotes Last Industrial Buy Sell sale ACI 360 362 362 AGC 310 325 325 ANI 268 270 270 ANZ 463 465 463 AWA 634 640 634 Adel Stm 1070 — 1070 Ad’tiser 240 255 240 Alpha — 42 40 opt 20 21 — Amatil 740 744 740 Amcor 330 — 328 Ampol 210 212 211 Argo 290 300 300 Ariadne 291 293 292 Arnotts 410 415 415 A Found 195 — 195 Aust Ovrs 87 88 87 opt 48 50 50 BHP 836 838 836 Bank Qld 315 325 — Bell G 810 820 820 pref 1850 2250 — Bond Corp 300 302 300 Boral 413 415 415 Brambles 610 620 620 Brierley 465 468 468 Bundaberg 260 — 260 Burns P — 646 646 CIG 363 365 365 CSR 293 295 293

Cadbury 225 230 230 Carricks 25 27 26 Chase Crp 495 —— 500 Claradeen 135 140 140 Clyde 190 —• 190 Coal All — 420 —- Coles M —— 500 496 Comalco 220 222 220 E Dunlop 420 430 420 . Eastcourt — 76 75 Elders 490 492 490 opt 440 —— —— Email 222 225 225 Equitcorp 148 150 148 Euro-Nat 328 340 328 FAI 672 674 672 Fairfax J 530 540 530 Feltex NZ 250 — — Fletcher 350 365 355 Fortuna 120 130 — GPT 272 276 276 Goodman 337 340 340 G Gotch 395 398 395 Hanimex 49 50 50 Hardie J 340 345 342 Herald 610 620 616 Hitek 135 140 138 Hooker 255 — 256 Humes 265 275 270 I I Prop — 2100 2050 ICI 245 247 245 IEL Grwth 70 — — IEL Incme — 76 75 Impala 210 215 210 Ind Equit —— 660 660 Jasco 190 195 190 Jennings 205 215 210 Jones Dav — 1020 1020 Jones Rbt — 480 475 Kern 165 — 170 Keywest 690 700 690 Larchhill 225 230 225 opt — 135 Leighton 49 50 49 L Lease 820 830 820 Linter, . 590 600 600 Martin Pr 135 — 135 Mayne Nic 280 285 285 McPherson 215 220 215 Memtec 197 200 — Monier 212 215 215 NZ For 190 195 — NZI Corp 172 175 172 Nat Aust 508 510 508 Nat Cons 270 280 280 News Corp 1980 2000 1990 Nicholas 285 300 — OPSM 302 — 305 Oakbridge 68 70 70 Pac Dunlp 320 323 323 Parbury — 160 — Peters SI 188 189 189 Pioneer C 258 260 260 Pioneer S 142 — 143 QBE 700 760 — Reckitt 385 390 390 Rheem 300 305 305

Rothmans 790 800 — Rothwells dd 350 355 355 Smith Hwd 408 410 410 Sunshine 298 300 298 TNT 315 318 318 Union C 510 — 520 Unity Crp . 500 510 510 Vapocure 220 225 — Vestcorp 62 65 65 Viking 84 85 84 Walton 35 36 35 Wattle 300 — —— Wfield Hl 1780 —. Westpac 452 455 452 Woolworth 285 288 285 Wormald 383 390 385 Aberfoyle 780 790 780 Ashton 168 170 168 Aust Devi 60 62 60 Bell Res 385 390 385 Bouganvle 255 257 255 CN Gold —- 870 870 CRA 574 576 576 Carr Boyd 117 119 117 Cons Res 8 9 9 Cons Rtle dd 370 380 —— ERA 150 151 150 Emperor — 295 290 GM Kalg 880 890 890 Hill 50 27 30 27 Kldston 616 620 620 Kitchener 60 — — MIM 170 171 170 Metals Ex 62 63 63 North BH 184 185 184 Otter 42 45 — Pancont M 188 190 190 Paringa 110 115 — Peko 512 516 516 Placer 2800 2850 2800 Poseidon 270 275 270 Qld Coal 175 176 176 RGC 626 — 630 Sthn Pac 18 22 — Technomin 39 42 40 WMC 317 318 317 West Sand 225 230 230 Whim Crk 245 250 250 AOG 152 155 150 Ampol Exp 170 — 170 Beach 70 71 70 Bridge 68 70 70 Claremont 70 75 70 Crusader 122 135 — Dominion 56 57 57 Hartogen 160 170 160 L’reach 0 10 •— —— Magellan 110 115 —■ Magnet 5 6 6 Offshore 7 8 8 Oil Serch 28 29 28 Pancont P 9 10 — Peko Oil 77 80 80 Santos 350 352 352 Varngas — 200 200 Weeks Pet 820 — 820 Woodside 80 82 82