Best and worst stocks on the ASX at midday

It's been a flat start to the trading day.

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After heading higher at the open the local bourse reversed course and headed south later in the morning before climbing again. At 12:03 pm the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) was up just 0.08%.

The flat morning follows a weak lead from Wall Street where US stocks bounced back from early losses overnight to finish the session slightly lower. With little direction from overseas, the market has been influenced today by the release of the National Australia Bank Ltd's (ASX: NAB) monthly business survey which has shown a sharp fall in business conditions in February, along with further falls in the iron ore price.

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

  • BWP Trust (ASX: BWP) is up 2.2% to $2.36
  • Westfield Group (ASX: WDC) has risen 1.9% to  $10.39
  • Silver Lake Resources Limited.  (ASX: SLR) has added 1.5% to 46.7 cents
  • NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH) has climbed 1.5% to $1.17
  • FlexiGroup Limited (ASX: FXL) has gained 1.4% to $3.72

These are the five worst performing stocks at lunchtime today:

  • Lynas Corporation Limited (ASX: LYC) has sunk 12.9% to 25.7 cents
  • Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) is down 6% to $11.53
  • Skilled Group Ltd. (ASX: SKE) has declined 5.2% to $2.98
  • Bradken Limited (ASX: BKN) has fallen 4.9% to $4.27
  • PanAust Limited (ASX: PNA) has slipped 4.8% to $1.59
Motley Fool contributor Tim McArthur does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this article.

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