The Australian share market has closed lower following the release of disappointing US jobs figures.
CommSec market analyst Steven Daghlian said it was the sixth session in seven trading sessions that the local market had finished in negative territory.
“It was always going to be a bit of a struggle to get into the black today because we had a disappointing jobs report out of the US on Friday,” Mr Daghlian said.
“That influenced our market today but it did have a positive impact on the mining sector.”
In the United States on Friday, markets closed mixed after the monthly Labor Department report said the US economy added 74,000 jobs in December – well below the 197,000 expected by analysts.
Mr Daghlian said as a result the US dollar lost ground which led to a rise in commodities prices.
“That’s significantly helped the likes of BHP Billiton and Newcrest with a rise in the gold price,” he said.
Australia’s largest gold miner Newcrest finished 51 cents, or 6.1 per cent, higher at $8.87 and diversified mining giant BHP Billiton was 12 cents, or 0.3 per cent, higher at $36.56.
However, iron ore-focused Rio Tinto was 14 cents lower at $63.51 and Fortescue Metals had dropped six cents to $5.14.
Among the major banks, Westpac had dropped 21 cents to $32.01, ANZ fell 23 cents to $31.33, Commonwealth Bank shed 60 cents to $77.00 and National Australia Bank reversed 33 cents to $34.24.
Telstra fell one cent to $5.25 after announcing it would sell a 70 per cent stake in directories business Sensis for just over $450 million.
Transurban was three cents richer at $6.82 after strong traffic growth on the tollway operator’s Sydney roads helped boost half year revenue.
Takeover target Warrnambool Cheese and Butter nudged up three cents to $9.24 as Canadian suitor giant Saputo lifted its stake in the company to more than 26 per cent.
Freight rail operator Asciano improved two cents to $5.64 as it entered into a 12-year haulage agreement with Whitehaven Coal.
KEY FACTS
* At the close on Monday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 20.3 points, or 0.38 per cent, lower at 5,292.1.
* The broader All Ordinaries index was down 19.5 points, or 0.37 per cent, at 5,296.8.
* The March share price index futures contract was 31 points lower at 5,259, with 5,290 contracts traded.
* National turnover was 1.2 billion securities worth $2.4 billion.
