The ASX has started the week with a move higher. At midday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) was showing a gain of 0.16%. The positive start is somewhat surprising given the sell-off US stocks experienced on Friday, where the Dow Jones and S&P 500 both lost around 0.8%, and the tech heavy Nasdaq dropped 1.7%.
Heightened tensions in the Ukraine have added to investor nervousness, however a takeover offer for food manufacturer Goodman Fielder and a drop in the Australian dollar appears to have buoyed local investor confidence this morning.
Here are five of the best performing stocks in the index in mid-morning trade today:
- Goodman Fielder Ltd (ASX: GFF) has soared 18.5% to 65 cents
- Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) has rallied 5.1% to $10.77
- Evolution FPO (ASX: EVN) has jumped 5% to 94.5 cents
- Beadell Resources Ltd (ASX: BDR) has climbed 3.8% to 69 cents
- Medusa Mining Limited (ASX: MML) has gained 2.6% to $1.96
These are five of the worst performing stocks in mid-morning trade today:
- Acrux Limited (ASX: ACR) has plunged 26.7% to $1.21
- Karoon Gas Australia Limited (ASX: KAR) is down 5.8% to $2.74
- Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) has dropped 3.3% to $12.61
- Lynas Corporation Limited (ASX: LYC) has fallen 2.7% to 18 cents
- Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd. (ASX: DMP) has declined 2.6% to $20.11
