Stock Market & Financial News - Trading Room

Starphrama sees positive safety results

Biotech Starpharma Holdings Ltd says the first trial of its VivaGel vaginal microbicide in sexually-active women has shown Vivagel to be safe.

Credit, debit card transaction fall 22%

The total value of credit and charge card transactions, including advances, fell by 22 per cent in January, RBA figures released show.

Fonterra to close Longburn cheese plant

Fonterra plans to stop making cheese at its Longburn plant near Palmerston North, and says other jobs at the site will only be available for some workers.

Natural peril costs exceed budget: IAG

Insurance Australia Group Ltd says natural peril costs will exceed its budgeted allowance for the second half after the severe weather in Victoria.

Cape lambert shares jump after sale

Shares in Cape Lambert Resources jumped more than 10 per cent after the resources and investment company sold a copper project for $135 million.

CBH enters trading halt on takeover bid

Shares in zinc, lead and silver miner CBH Resources have gone into a trading halt after the company received a takeover proposal.

TPG goes into trading halt

TPG Telecom Ltd shares have been placed in a trading halt while shareholders of PIPE Networks Ltd vote on whether to approve TPG's offer to buy PIPE.

Australian reports

• Aust markets: ASX receives flat to positive leads
• Aust dollar report: $A opens flat, dampened by Chinese data
• Aust credit close: Bonds weaker, traders reprice contracts

World reports

• World commodities: Oil prices hold, metals rise
• World markets: European markets slip back

Stocks to watch

CBZ, CIL, COE, IIN, LEI, MAH, MYR, SEV,

Aust stocks up at noon on broad-based gains

AAP 12:30AM Telstra was up one cent at $3.08 and Optus owner Singapore Telecommunication was flat at $2.47.

Takeovers - March 12

AAP 12:27AM COOTE INDUSTRIAL LTD (CXG): Elph P/L (Elph) is offering for 35% of the shares in the company which Elph does not currently own. Consideration is 26 cents cash for each CXG share he...

Aust stocks higher at noon with broad-based gains

AAP 12:20AM INDEX MOVEMENT POSITION INDEX MOVEMENT POSITION

Credit and charge card debt up 5 pct over year to Jan - RBA

AAP 12:11AM The average credit card account balance decreased by 1.9 per cent to $3,188.87 in January from $3,250.44 December.

Starphrama says positive results from safety trial of VivaGel

MELBOURNE, March 12 AAP 12:15AM Biotech Starpharma Holdings Ltd says the first trial of its VivaGel vaginal microbicide in sexually-active women has shown Vivagel to be as safe as the placebos used in the trial.

Web will be 'critical' revenue source for Times: publisher

NEW YORK, March 11 AFP 12:18AM Charging online readers will give The New York Times a critical second revenue stream but the print newspaper will be important for "many years to come", publisher Arthur Sulzberge...

IAG says natural peril costs to exceed budget due to Vic storms

AAP 12:03AM The hailstorms and heavy rain that pounded Melbourne are already the most expensive weather catastrophe to hit Australia to since the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in region...

Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at Noon

SYDNEY, March 12 AAP 12:02AM Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon:

IAG says natural peril costs to exceed budget due to Vic storms

SYDNEY, March 12 AAP 11:56AM Insurance Australia Group Ltd says natural peril costs will exceed its budgeted allowance for the second half after the severe weather in Victoria.

Credit, debit card transaction fall 22pct in January - RBA

SYDNEY, March 12 AAP 12:00AM The total value of credit and charge card transactions, including advances, fell by 22 per cent in January, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) figures released today show.