The local bourse looks like it will end the week on a negative note, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) down 0.5% at midday. The loss follows a weak lead from Wall Street overnight, where US stocks fell around 1%, after investors reacted to a weaker than expected earnings result from retail giant Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT).
The market is a sea of red today with the banks, major miners and even gold stocks posting losses; all sectors – led by consumer discretionary – were lower at noon.
Here are the top five best performing stocks in the index at midday today:
- Transfield Services Limited (ASX: TSE) has gained 2.4% to $1.15
- IOOF Holdings Limited (ASX: IFL) has climbed 2.2% to $8.31
- Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) has added 1.9% to $2.18
- Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) has risen 1.6% to $1.26
- DUET Group (ASX: DUE) is up 1.1% to $2.22
These are the five worst performing stocks at midday today:
- Western Areas Ltd (ASX: WSA) has slumped 7.8% to $4.03
- Sandfire Resources NL (ASX: SFR) has dropped 4.6% to $5.98
- Independence Group NL (ASX: IGO) has fallen 4.1% to $4.19
- Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) has lost 3.7% to $2.23
- Pacific Brands Limited (ASX: PBG) has slipped 3.6% to 53 cents
