Despite a negative lead from Wall Street overnight which saw the major indices all end firmly in the red the local bourse has headed higher again this morning. At four minutes past midday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) was up 0.31%.
With the Australian Financial Review reporting that 80% of companies which have reported so far this earnings season have raised their dividends, investors would appear to be in a positive mood.
Here are the top five best performing stocks in the index at midday today:
- Fairfax Media Limited (ASX: FXJ) has leapt 21% to 86.5 cents
- Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) has jumped 12.3% to $8.94
- AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) has rallied 8.1% to $4.86
- Leighton Holdings Limited (ASX: LEI) has climbed 6% to $17.40
- iiNet Limited (ASX: IIN) has gained 5.5% to $7.91
These are the five worst performing stocks at midday today:
- Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) is down 4.3% to $10.67
- Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) has lost 4.1% to $1.13
- Paladin Energy Ltd. (ASX: PDN) has fallen 3.8% to 46.2 cents
- Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX: SXL) has declined 3.6% to $1.43
- Mount Gibson Iron Limited (ASX: MGX) has slipped 3.5% to 98 cents