[R]3:00AM New York, 7:00PM Sydney- ASX 200 index lost 1.4% after stocks in the U.S. closed lower.[/R]

Market Sentiment

ASX 200 index lost 1.4% or 78.2 to close at 5,606.60.

The Preliminary market turnover was 1.32 billion shares worth $6.18 billion, with 422 stocks moving up, 729 moving down, and 354 unchanged. The most actively traded stock was Resource Pacific with 103 million shares worth $329.75 million.

Market Driver

Australia-based mall owner Centro Properties Group today requested for a suspension of trade in its shares and in that of its listed retail trust ahead of today''s deadline to negotiate a refinancing deal with its Australian and U.S. creditors.

The company in its statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, without giving any reason, asked the stock trading suspension, and said that it will make an announcement on Feb 19th.
The company which owns more than 700 U.S. malls has been battling to raise money to refinance $3.9 billion in debt, most of which is short term in maturity, in the past two months has been negotiating with lenders to revise terms of its borrowings.

Centro Group’s market cap has nearly melted from its peak of $8.5 billion to the current value of $515 million, after the company could not refinance its short term debt used to acquire most of the properties in less than two years.

Gainers and losers

Of the ASX 200 index stocks, AED Oil Limited led the gainers with a rise of 43.3% followed by increases in Alumina Limited of 9.4%, in Aquarius Platinum of 7%, in ABC Learning of 4.4%, and in United Group Limited of 4%.

Of the ASX 200 index stocks, Boom Logistics led the decliners in the index with a fall of 11.8% followed by losses in West Australia Newspaper of 9.8%, in Riversdale Mining of 8.2%, in Challenger Finance of 7.9% and in Corp Express Australia of 6.7%.

OneSteel restructures mill operations

Australia''s second largest steelmaker, OneSteel today announced the restructuring of its bar mill operations to improve efficiency and focus its manufacturing efforts on securing growth within construction and resources markets.

According to the company''s website, the restructuring would include the consolidation of bar manufacture within its Laverton and Sydney bar mills and the doubling of production at the Waratah Bar Mill in Newcastle.

The Newcastle Bar Mill and the operations of OneSteel Martin Bright in Melbourne would be closed while the company would continue to produce in excess of 1 million tons of steel bar products across its reconfigured bar business.

OneSteel''s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Plummer, said the closure would result in a net reduction of approximately 180 jobs within Newcastle Bar Mill and limited increases at Waratah Bar Mill. He added that additional 90 jobs would be lost at OneSteel Martin Bright.
OneSteel share fell 0.8%.

Aquarius share up 7% on rise in platinum prices

Platinum producer, Aquarius Platinum Ltd''s share shot to a record today after rising by 7% today on the back rising metal prices. Platinum prices for immediate delivery rose to a record $2,027.50 yesterday and traded at $2,004.50 at the close in Sydney, resulting in the rise in the price of the metal rising to 31% this year.

Platinum prices are expected to continue rising after South Africa, the metal''s biggest producer said at least 10% of power cuts to mines and smelters would last another four years.

Aquarius, which has interest in South Africa and Zimbabwe, said increased output and gains in the price of the metal had helped boost net profit by 25% to $106.6 million in the half-year ended December 31.