A late rally saw the Aussie market finish higher Wednesday as a slew of companies on the securities exchange went ex-dividend today. Following mixed results from Wall Street, the local market added nearly 0.3% on a day when each sector had a broad mix of gainers and losers.

At the close the All Ords put on 9.2 to 3,802.2, while the ASX/200 added 10.1 to 3,807.0. Over 1.9 billion shares, or $4.8 billion had changed hands.

Rio Tinto finished above the line for the first time since trading ex-rights, gaining 2%, while the broader Materials and Resources was up 0.2%.

Rival BHP Billiton lost 0.2% despite base metals rising in overnight trade.

Fortescue drifted 0.5% higher, while OZ Minerals added 2.3%. Onesteel and Bluescope added 4.2% and 0.8% respectively.

Homebuilding materials company James Hardie edged 0.5% higher. The company announced it would be moving from its headquarters in the Netherlands to Ireland.  Boral shed 0.8%. 

The gold miners Newcrest and Sino Gold lost 1.7% and 0.8% respectively. Lihir Gold added 0.4%.

Materials and explosives manufacturer Incitec Pivot rose 5.6%, while Orica slumped 2.3%.

The Banks and Financials gained 0.3% despite the big four all losing ground. ANZ and NAB lost 0.2% and 1.1%, while Westpac and CBA shed 0.1% and 0.5%. 

Macquarie Group dipped 1%.

It was a mixed morning for the insurers with AXA Asia Pacific and AMP relatively unchanged. IAG put on 3%, while Suncorp-Metway spiked 5.6%.

Property Trusts were mixed. Heavyweight Westfield put on 4.9%, while GPT rose 5.3%.

Mirvac rallied in the afternoon to finish 4.5% higher. Stockland and Dexus, however, lost 1.3% and 2.7% respectively.

The sector overall added 2.4%.

Energy stocks were 0.7% dearer, with Woodside Petroleum and Origin up 2.7% and 1.4%. Santos and Oil Search shed 0.8% and 0.4%.

Volatile Felix Resources lost 4.2%, while Energy Resources sank 5%.

WorleyParsons was 0.3% cheaper, while Caltex dipped 0.6%.  

Industrials gave up 1.6%. Auckland International Airport sank 3.5%, while toll-road operator Transurban dipped 2.9%.

Qantas gained 0.5%, while cross Tasman rival Air New Zealand rose 1.4%.

Macquarie satellites, Macquarie Airports and Macquarie Infrastructure Group slumped 8.3% and 7.1% respectively.

Brambles and Leightons shed 0.2% and 0.5%. CSR spiked 2.6%.

Consumer Staples gained 0.7%. Woolworths was flat, while Wesfarmers added 3.2%. Metcash lost 0.2%.

Grain handler ABB slid 0.9%, while AWB shed 2%.

Lion Nathan edged 0.1% higher, while rival Fosters weakened 1.8%.

Consumer Discretionary also climbed a modest 0.7%. Gamer Crown climbed 3%, while Tatts and Aristocrat added 2.4% and 0.6%. 

Retailers Billabong and JB Hi-Fi jumped 3.5% and 3.2% respectively.

Media stock Fairfax dipped 1.7%. Ten Network gained 0.9% despite recording a 36.6% fall in earnings for the nine months to 31 May.

Telecommunications was up 0.7%, with Telstra rising 0.9%.

Healthcare rose 0.9% due largely to CSL rising 1.5%.

Around the region, the Nikkei 225 rose 56.3 to 9,605.9, the Straits Times Index added 30.6 to 2,256.7 and NZSE50 fell 22.2 to 2,739.8. The Hang Seng gained 233.4 to 17,771.8.

Spot gold was trading at US$923.40 per ounce and the Aussie was buying US$0.7951. 

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Ten's earnings slumps 36%
Ten Network Holdings reported a 36.6% drop in EBITDA for the nine months to 31 May 2009. The company said the negative impact of the difficult advertising market was the key factor behind a fall in revenue.

At the end of the day, Ten shares were up 1c to $1.14.

Catalpa and Lion Selection plan merger
Catalpa Resources and Lion Selection signed a merger implementation agreement to create an Australian mid-tier gold producer. In a joint statement released today, it said the merged company would produce 130,000 oz of gold per annum.

By the finish, Catalpa shares were up 1.7c to 10.5c, while Lion Selection shares were up 34c to $1.36.

Toll acquires three Asian businesses
Toll Holdings announced the acquisition of three Asian based businesses that the company said would compliment its existing air freight operations in Australia and New Zealand. The acquisitions comprise of Deltec operations in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia, as well as small Hong Kong businesses Kwikmail and Skynet.

At the end of trading, Toll shares were down 10c to $6.32.

ALE sells three pubs
Ale Property Group have sold off interests in three Melbourne properties for just over $16 million. The hotel operator said the funds raised would be used to reduce debt and strengthen the company’s bottom line.

By the bell, Ale Property shares were down 14c to $2.35.

James Hardie proposes move to Ireland
James Hardies Industries said it would seek shareholder approval to move its corporate domicile from the Netherlands to Ireland and transform the business into a form of European corporation known as a Societas Europaea. The company said the move would provide greater certainty for James Hardie to obtain benefits under the US/Ireland Treaty than is the case under the US/Netherlands Treaty.

At the close, James Hardie shares were up 2c to $4.17.

Linc to off-load coal tenements
Linc Energy said it would aim to divest its interests in three key tenements as interest in coal mining resources globally increases. The clean coal technology company said investment bank UBS would advise on the sale.

At the end of the day, Linc shares were down 16c to $1.57.

MAp increases stake in Sydney airport
Macquarie Airports has increased its stake in Sydney Airport to 74% after the company contributed $711m to the deleveraging the airport’s capital structure. The figure was within the company’s previous guidance of between $650m and $780m of the total $870m required to retire debt.

At the bell, MAp shares were down 19c to $2.09.

PMP announces transformation plans
PMP unveiled its transformation plans to address the earnings decline in its Australian and New Zealand business portfolio created by the current economic climate. The company said the transformation would be split into two phases.

At the finish, PMP shares were down 1c to 40c

Infigen agrees to acquire wind assets
Infigen Energy has agreed to a total consideration of $23.5m to acquire Babcock and Brown International’s Australian and New Zealand wind energy project development assets, its US wind asset management business, and its minority interests in IFN’s existing wind farms in the US and Germany. Infigen said additional separation costs are expected to be approximately $8m.

At the close, Infigen shares were down 1.5c to $1.155.