The local bourse has started the day in a positive mood with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) gaining 0.26% by midday today.
The positive sentiment follows a strong session overnight on US markets which left the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 up 0.46% and 0.7% respectively, after factory activity data indicated the US economy was continuing to strengthen.
Economic data releases out this morning include job vacancy figures for February which show a 0.3% increase from November 2013. Also released today were Building Approvals figures which in trend terms show a rise of 0.7% in February.
Gold stocks are enjoying solid gains but sectors are mixed. Materials and consumer discretionary are leading the risers up around 1% each; while consumer staples, property, telecom and utilities are all slightly down.
Here are the top five best performing stocks in the index at midday today:
- Evolution FPO (ASX: EVN) has jumped 7% to 87.2 cents
- PanAust Limited (ASX: PNA) has rallied 4.5% to $1.62
- Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) has climbed 4.1% to $2.26
- Medusa Mining Limited (ASX: MML) added 3.8% to $2.04
- Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (ASX: FOX) has gained 3.6% to $34.60
These are the five worst performing stocks at midday today:
- Goodman Fielder Ltd (ASX: GFF) has plunged 19.3% to 49.2 cents
- Wotif.com Holdings Limited (ASX: WTF) has slipped 2.7% to $2.49
- Buru Energy Limited (ASX: BRU) has lost 2.4% to $1.23
- Nufarm Limited (ASX: NUF) has declined 2.3% to $3.84
- Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) is down 1.9% to $2.32
