National Australia Bank Limited

The Australian stock market has opened stronger led by financial shares, as Wall Street rebounded after investors reassessed the potential effects of the fraud case against Goldman Sachs. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index and the broader All Ordinaries index both were up 0.5 per cent in early trade.

Australian shares and Asian markets Friday were down on the US Federal Reserve's decision to raise the discount rate for the first time since the financial crisis. NAB's flat cash earnings result also weighed on the Australian shares. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index declined 19.8 points, or 0.4 per cent, at 4635.1, while the broader All Ordinaries index slid 17.6 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 4656.3. The local market gained 2 per cent for the week.

The Australian sharemarket posted a sharp loss for second straight day to a one-month closing low on Friday. The market pressured by worries about a slowdown in China and concerns over U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed stricter regulations on banks. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index and the broader All Ordinaries index both tumbled 1.6 per cent. For the week, the ASX 200 fell 3.2 per cent, its worst weekly return in 12 weeks.

The Australian shares edged higher on the first trading day of 2010. Energy stocks surged amid expectations the oil price will continue to rise this year. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index advanced 5.7 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 4876.3 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 7.1 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 4889.8.

Conquest Mining Limited (ASX:CQT)(PINK:CQMLF) are pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Marks, BEng(Chem), MAppFin, as a Non-Executive Director of the Company.

The Australian share market lost much of its early gains after NAB's surprise bid for the local and New Zealand assets of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings. Woodside's capital raising also gave the market a pullback. At the close, the local market was slightly higher. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed up 8.4 points, or 0.18 per cent, at 4670.3 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 13.5 points, or 0.29 per cent, to 4689.6 points.

US shares fell on Thursday as the services sector index declined unexpectedly in November. The contraction also hurt sentiment ahead of the release of unemployment figure.

Wall Street closed slightly higher overnight on a round of buying in energy and materials companies. But more stocks fell than rose as retailers such as Target and Home Depot's disappointing holiday spending outlooks raised concerns over the strength of recovery.

Overnight the US stocks closed higher on the positive Alcoa earnings and better-than-expected weekly jobless claims and consumer spending. Investors were also encouraged by the US retailers' first same-store sales gains in more than a year.

US markets were closed for the Labour Day public holiday, while Europe and Asia markets posted strong gains on Monday.