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The Australian share market traded in the red today and closed 0.6 per cent down.

 

Lower CAPEX numbers weighed on sentiment with spending on capital goods down by 2.2 per cent for the December quarter. 

 

Looking at earnings results Transfield Services and Alumina both booked losses today while Qantas shares pushed higher as the company returns to profit for the first half. 

 

The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 36 points down to finish at 5,909. 

 

The value of trades was $6.2 billion on volume of 1.11 billion shares at the close of trade. The top three stocks by value were Aurizon Holdings Limited (ASX:AZJ), Telstra Corporation Limited (ASX:TLS) and BHP Billiton Limited (ASX:BHP).

 

On the futures market the SPI is 36 points down.

 

Company news

 

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Limited (ASX:NEC) has tripled its interim net profit and unveiled a $150 million on-market share buyback. The television and entertainment company’s net profit jumped to $90.98 million from $31.7 million the year before. Nine Entertainment closed 9.43 per cent up at $2.03

 

Adelaide Brighton Limited (ASX:ABC) has posted a record annual profit over the 2014 financial and calendar year. The construction material and lime group boosted its net profit by 14.3 per cent to $172.7 million while its underlying profit rose 8.5 per cent to $166.5 million. Shares in Adelaide Brighton closed 7.46 per cent up at $4.18.

Shares in Transfield Services Limited (ASX:TSE) have dipped after reporting its first half result for the 2015 financial year.

 

As have shares in Alumina Limited (ASX:AWC) after swinging to a net loss of $US98.3 million in the 2014 financial year from a profit of $US500,000 the year before.

 

Qantas Airways Limited (ASX:QAN) has exceeded its own expectations for its interim result and posted its best performance in four years. 

 

Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX:RHC) has boosted its annual profit forecast after improving its interim performance.

 

Best and worst performers

The only sector pushing higher today was energy adding 0.04 per cent to close at 11,532. The worst performing sector was telcos, losing 2.1 per cent to close at 2,206 points.

 

The best performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Limited (ASX:NEC), rising 9.43 per cent to close at $2.03. Shares in Adelaide Brighton Limited (ASX:ABC) and Japara Healthcare Limited (ASX:JHC) also closed higher.

 

The worst performing stock was Transfield Services Limited (ASX:TSE), dropping 6.42 per cent to close at $1.53. Shares in Metcash Limited (ASX:MTS) and Atlas Iron Limited (ASX:AGO) also closed lower.

 

Commodities

Gold is trading at $US1,209 an ounce.
Light crude is $1.71 up at $US50.99 a barrel.

The Australian dollar is buying $US0.7859