Australia Stocks: BHP, Aquarius, Caltex, Centro, OneSteel, Rio

By Shani Raja

Sept. 29 (Bloomberg) -- The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 97.40 points, or 2 percent, to 4,807.40 at the close in Sydney, the lowest since Sept. 19. The broader All Ordinaries Index slipped 95.40 points, or 1.9 percent, to 4,839.20, while the futures index expiring in December declined 2.3 percent to 4,844.

Mining shares: BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP AU), the world's largest mining company, dropped A$1.60, or 4.5 percent, to A$34.24, the lowest since March 20. Rio Tinto Group (RIO AU) declined A$5.50, or 5.5 percent, to A$95.50, the lowest in more than a year.

A measure of six metals traded on the London Metal Exchange fell 1.5 percent, as zinc dropped 1.7 percent and copper 2.2 percent.

Platinum producers: Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP AU), a producer of the metal in South Africa and Zimbabwe, plunged 38 cents, or 5.3 percent, to A$6.82, the lowest in two years. Platinum Australia Ltd. (PLA AU), owner of platinum mines in South Africa and Australia, dropped 5 cents, or 2.9 percent, to A$1.68, the most since Sept. 18.

Platinum futures for January delivery fell $68.10, or 5.7 percent, to $1,123.10 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Oil producers: Caltex Australia Ltd. (CTX AU), the nation's biggest oil refiner, fell 55 cents, or 4.3 percent, to A$12.19, the most since Sept. 9, on concern a $700 billion U.S. bank- rescue plan won't be enough to prevent a global economic slowdown that would cut fuel demand.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL AU), Australia's second-largest oil and gas producer, declined A$1.25, or 2.2 percent, to A$54.55. Santos Ltd. (STO AU) dropped 25 cents, or 1.3 percent, to A$19.70, the most in almost two weeks.

Carnegie Corp. (CNM AU), which holds the rights to own and operate all commercial wave energy projects based on its CETO technology in the Southern Hemisphere, soared 3.5 cents, or 26 percent, to 17 cents, the most since December 2007. Australia could economically get 35 percent of its needs for continuous power supply from wave-generated energy, the Australian clean- energy technology company said today, citing a report.

Centro Properties Group (CNP AU), an Australian shopping mall owner and manager, jumped 2 cents, or 24 percent, to 10.5 cents, the highest since Sept. 12. Centro and its retail trust gained three-month extensions from their U.S. lenders, giving the Australian shopping mall owner until Dec. 15 to pay back $4.75 billion of borrowings.

Centro Retail Group (CER AU) surged 1.5 cent, or 12 percent, to 14.5 cents, the benchmark index's biggest gainer.

Felix Resources Ltd. (FLX AU), the Australian coal producer in takeover talks with steelmakers and mining companies, rallied A$1, or 5.6 percent, to A$19, the most since Sept. 8. Felix said it remains in ``detailed discussions'' with more than one party about a possible takeover.

Golden Gate Petroleum Ltd. (GGP AU), a petroleum exploration company, leapt 3 cents, or a 9.1 percent, to 36 cents, the most since Sept. 2. A flow test at its Bullseye prospect in Louisiana confirmed a ``significant discovery,'' the company said in a statement.

Grange Resources Ltd. (GRR AU) plunged 37 cents, or 22 percent, to A$1.33, the most since 2001. The company extended its 11 percent decline on Sept. 26 after agreeing to buy an iron ore mine in Tasmania state from a company controlled by Chinese steelmaker Jiangsu Shagang Group Co.

Keybridge Capital Ltd. (KBC AU), an Australian investor in property and infrastructure, tumbled 23.5 cents, or 35 percent, to a record low 43.5 cents. The company lowered its profit guidance after a large borrower reported ``cashflow issues'' affecting the payback of a A$25 million loan.

OneSteel Ltd. (OST AU), Australia's second-largest steelmaker, dived 40 cents, or 7.5 percent, to A$4.92, the lowest since February 2007. OneSteel will bid for the 49 percent of Steel & Tube Holdings Ltd. it doesn't already own to add output in New Zealand.

Sun Biomedical Ltd. (SBN AU), which makes illegal-drug- detection devices, gained 0.2 cent, or 15 percent, to 1.5 cents, the highest since Sept. 9. The company said its joint-venture partner, Shanghai Siyi Biotechnology Co., ordered 20,000 of its OraLine products for field trials with China's Ministry of Public Security.

To contact the reporter on this story: Shani Raja in Sydney at sraja4@bloomberg.net.