The Australian sharemarket rose almost one per cent in the second day of gains, as markets recovered from last week’s massive losses on hopes of a solution to Europe’s debt crisis.
However, the market investors remained unsure whether a solution to the crisis could be found amid conflicting media reports.
IG Markets’ dealer Chris Weston said the local market was “delicately poised” on Wednesday.
Investor confidence that Europe would announce fresh measures to stave off contagion of a Greek default, including expanding its European Financial Stability Fund, unravelled somewhat, he said.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had risen 34.9 points, or 0.87 per cent, to close at 4,039.5, while the broader All Ordinaries index rose 34.2 points, or 0.84 per cent, to 4,097.7.
Patersons Securities associate director John Curtin said a rise in commodity prices overnight had kept the market in recovery mode after last week’s massive losses.
Consumer discretionary stocks led the market, closing 1.4 per cent higher, with department store giant David Jones gaining 4.6 per cent to $2.93 and fellow retailer Myer rising 4.5 per cent to $2.10.
There were broad based gains across all sectors except for health care stocks, which lost 0.2 per cent.
Energy stocks rose 1.4 per cent after world oil prices soared on Tuesday night, mirroring gains on world equity markets.
Woodside Petroleum gained 3.5 per cent, or $1.08, to $31.94 and Santos added three cents to $11.06.
But RBS Morgans senior equities adviser Geoff Voller said trade had been sluggish and volumes relatively light given a strong lead from global markets overnight.
Turnover was 2.22 billion shares changing hands for $6.03 billion, with almost seven of every 10 stocks rising.
“It was a bit of a disappointing reaction but given the uncertainty in Europe I suppose it’s not too surprising,” he said. “There’s just no real volume or confidence in the market.”
Making news, chemical manufacturer Orica’s shares jumped 3.7 per cent to $23.20 despite higher than permitted mercury vapour levels being detected around its Sydney plant, just weeks after residents near its Newcastle plant were exposed to hexavalent chromium.
Drilling services group Boart Longyear was the best performing stock on the ASX 100, gaining 6.1 per cent to $2.80. The weakest company on the same index was Fortescue Metals, which lost 7.9 per cent to $4.52.
The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US1,642.8 per fine ounce, down $US7.92 from Tuesday’s close of $US1,650.72.
