Fresh from announcing plans to develop the Iron Valley mine in the Pilbara, Mineral Resources has become the eleventh Western Australian company in the S&P/ASX 100 Index.
The Australian share market has opened more than three quarters of a per cent lower, driven down by falls in the resources sector after a last minute sell-off in the US.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose tantalisingly close to an all-time high on Thursday but failed to top the five-year-old mark and ended up in the red after a late-session sell-off.
Strong reports on the US housing market and durable goods orders propelled stocks higher on Wednesday, with the much-watched Dow index reaching its highest level in more than five years.
The Australian share market has closed lower but pared back earlier heavy falls.There were losses among the miners and big banks as investors took profits after recent gains.
The Australian sharemarket has opened almost 1.5 per cent weaker as former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's strong electoral showing sparked fears of eurozone instability.
US stocks closed sharply lower on Monday amid concerns that Silvio Berlusconi's strong showing in the Italian election could force a coalition government and spark fresh instability in the eu
The Australian dollar is three quarters of a US cent higher following Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens' appearance before a federal parliamentary committee.
US stocks closed lower Thursday, hit by weak data on US manufacturing and a glum turn downward in the much-watched Markit purchasing managers index that suggested more recession in the eurozone.
The Australian dollar is more than one US cent lower after speculation the US Federal Reserve could wind back its stimulus program earlier than expected caused a slide in global share markets.
