Australia Stocks: Alesco, Aquarius, BHP, Nexus, Newcrest, Rio

By Shani Raja

Jan. 30 (Bloomberg) -- The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.9 percent to 3,496 at 12:20 p.m. in Sydney. The broader All Ordinaries Index declined 0.8 percent to 3,434.40, while the futures contract expiring in March slipped 1.8 percent to 3,454.

The following companies were among the most active shares in the market today. Stock symbols are in parentheses.

Mining shares: Mining stocks fell after a measure of six metals traded in London dropped 2.2 percent. Copper lost 3 percent, zinc 2.2 percent, and nickel 3 percent.

BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP AU), the world’s largest mining company, declined 2.1 percent to A$30.02, the most since Jan. 23. Rio Tinto Group (RIO AU), the third biggest, fell 3.6 percent to A$39.24.

JSW Steel Ltd., India’s third-largest steelmaker, said Rio agreed to cut coking coal prices by 43 percent for the last three months of an annual contract that expires March 31, after global demand slumped. Separately, Rio de Janeiro state rejected the iron-ore export terminal projects proposed by BHP, Ferrous Resources do Brasil Ltda. and an ArcelorMittal joint venture.

Precious metals producers: Gold producers rallied as gold rose 1.9 percent to $906.50 an ounce in New York after a slide in U.S. equity markets sparked demand for the precious metal as a store of value.

Newcrest Mining Ltd. (NCM AU) gained 3 percent to A$31.31. Sino Gold Mining Ltd. (SGX AU), owner of China’s second-largest gold mine, surged 10 percent to A$5.17, the highest since Sept. 23. Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP AU), the producer of the precious metal in South Africa and Zimbabwe, rallied 4.5 percent to A$3.97.

Alesco Corp. (ALS AU), an Australian building materials and home products maker, tumbled 9.7 percent to A$2.15, the most since Dec. 15. Citigroup Inc. said in a note today that it expects a deceleration in the company’s earnings to continue.

Biota Holdings Ltd. (BTA AU), the developer of the influenza treatment Relenza, soared 13 percent to 50 cents, the highest since Oct. 7, after saying the U.K. will boost its stockpiles of the product.

Nexus Energy Ltd. (NXS AU) rose 10 percent to 48 cents, the most since Nov. 25 and the benchmark’s best performance. Royal Dutch Shell Plc Chief Financial Officer Peter Voser declined to comment on reports of a possible bid for Nexus, the developer of the proposed Crux natural gas liquids venture off northern Australia.

Orica Ltd. (ORI AU), the world’s largest explosives maker, advanced 1.9 percent to A$13.35. The company said first-quarter profit is ahead of last year’s and restated a forecast for an eighth year of growth.

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