Best and worst stocks on the ASX at midday

The local bourse begun the day in positive territory after a positive lead from Wall Street saw the major US indices advance overnight. At lunchtime the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) is 0.09% higher.

During the morning the index managed to reach a new 5-year high which eluded it yesterday, it also marks the highest point the index has been at since June 2008.

Sectors were mixed with the fall in iron ore prices below US$120/tonne acting as a drag on the mining sector which was down 0.5%.

Here are the top five best performing stocks in the index at midday today:

• Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) has jumped 6.4% to $47.40
• NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH) has added 5.8% to $1.46
• Cabcharge Australia Limited (ASX: CAB) has climbed 5.5% to $4.25
• QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) has risen 4% to $12.12
• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) is up 3.8% to $1.24

These are the five worst performing stocks at midday today:

• Transfield Services Limited (ASX: TSE) has declined 6.6% to 92.5 cents
• Buru Energy Limited (ASX: BRU) has fallen 5.8% to $1.45
• IOOF Holdings Limited (ASX: IFL) has dropped 5.4% to $9.15
• Ausdrill Limited (ASX: ASL) has slipped 3.9% to 94.2 cents
• Beach Energy Limited (ASX: BPT) is down 3.6% to $1.60