The Australian share market opened slightly higher today, with gains among resources but some of the major banks down, following an ambiguous lead from Wall Street.
At 8.15am, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 was up 10.9 points, or 0.29 per cent, at 3817.9, while the broader All Ordinaries rose 12.4 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 3814.6 points.
On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the September share price index contract was 24 points higher at 3792 on a volume of 7092 contracts.
Mining giant BHP Billiton rose 24 cents to $33.97, while rival Rio Tinto bounced 92 cents, or 1.85 per cent, higher to $50.52.
The major banks had varied fortunes in early trade.
Commonwealth Bank fell 14 cents to $36.89, ANZ grew two cents to $16.02, National Australia Bank dropped eleven cents to $21.34, and Westpac was up five cents at $19.26.
US stocks ended mixed on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve decided to maintain virtually zero interest rates and offered no leads about any change in its pump priming efforts.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 23.05 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 8,299.86, erasing early gains on the back of higher orders for US durable goods.
The tech-dominant Nasdaq rose 27.42 points, or 1.55 per cent, to 1,792.34 while the broad-market Standard & Poor's 500 added 5.84 points, or 0.65 per cent, to 900.94
ABN Amro Morgan's director of equities Bill Chatterton said there were no major factors influencing the market as a whole.
"There wasn't a dramatic move from overseas, so I don't think we're in for any serious changes today," Mr Chatterton said.
"It's a bit of a mixed bag actually, and there's no real pattern.
"Most sectors are up a little bit. The materials sector is probably the best."
In news today grain handler ABB says the Foreign Investment Review Board has told it it has no objections to the company's proposed $1.6 billion tie-up with Canada's Viterra.
ABB shares were steady at $9.30.
Shopping centre owner Centro has appointed three new non-executive directors to its board.
Centro securities lost 0.1 cent to 9.3 cents.
At 8.27am, the spot price of gold in Sydney was $930.65 per fine ounce, up $US3.05 on yesterday's close of $US927.60.
Among the gold miners, Newcrest rose 44 cents to $29.91, Lihir Gold was up four cents to $2.89, while Newmont put on 13 cents, or 2.51 per cent, to $5.30.
Oil stocks were mixed. Oil Search was stable at $5.27, while Woodside gained 19 cents to $41.55 and Santos put on eleven cents to $14.13.
Insurer QBE was up six cents at $18.91, Suncorp put on seven cents to $6.49, while Insurance Australia Group fell four cents to $3.41.
In the media, News Corp was steady at $13.00, while its non-voting scrip fell 22 cents to $11.41.
Fairfax gained 1.5 cents to $1.18, and APN was 0.5 cent stronger at $1.39.
At 8.35am, the top-traded stock by volume was Jervois Mining, with 67.4 million shares worth $507,601.
Its share price gained 0.3 cent, or 60 per cent, to 0.8 cent.
Overall turnover was 386.87 million shares worth $677.04 million, with 391 stocks up, 230 down and 289 unchanged.
AAP
