SHARES were weaker at noon, led lower by mining stocks on thin volumes ahead of the Christmas trading break.
Atmidday (AEDT)the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 25.1 points, or 0.52 per cent, at 4773.9 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index had fallen 23.1 points, or 0.47 per cent, at 4865.1 points.
On the ASX 24, the March share price index futures contract was down 36 points at 4777 points, with about 6500 contracts traded.
Market strategist with IG Markets Ben Potter said materials stocks were weaker after falls to the sector in US trade.
"Miners are doing most of the damage, with Rio and BHP both down, and base metals were down in London," Mr Potter said.
"There is very, very light trade with a bit of weakness to industrials and financials as well," he said.
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At midday shares in BHP Billiton were off 47c at $46.00 while Rio Tinto had declined 96c at $86.24.
Shares in Whitehaven Coal fell 30c, or 4.29 per cent, at $6.70 after it flagged an earnings downgrade due to wet weather at its New South Wales mines.
Gold miner Newcrest was down 53c at $39.75 after the price of the precious metal fell.
At 12.06pm spot gold was trading at $US1382.80 per ounce, down $US4.40 on yesterday's closing price.
The big banks were all weaker by 12.07pm, with Commonwealth Bank down 4c at $51.21, Westpac off 10c at $22.67, National Australia Bank 14c lower at $24.06.
ANZ had fallen 19c at $23.52 while Macquarie Group declined 28c, at $37.22.
Energy shares were mixed, after oil rose to a two-year high in overseas trade above $US91 a barrel.
Woodside Petroleum was up 12c by 12.11pm at $42.98 and oil search had risen 3c to $7.15.
Origin Energy fell 7c to $16.83, and gas specialist Santos was down 15c at $13.26.
Sundance Energy struck an agreement that should hasten drilling work at its Niobara project in the US and its shares were up 4.5c, or 8.8 per cent, at 55.5c.
Aurora Oil and Gas completed its purchase of extra working sites within a US shale field, and its share had risen 3c to $2.10.
First Horizon moves to pay bailout debtShares open weaker as mining stocks slide
