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Australian scrips

finish firmer

SYDNEY: The Australian share market closed firmer led by the futures market after the offshore selling of recent days abated and buying interest returned to the market. At 0605 GMT, the All Ordinaries index was 6.3 points higher at 2108.30.

The September share price index contract was up 13 points at 2137 points, a 28.7 point premium to the physical market.

Traders said that having finished the morning session higher after selling from offshore dried up, a resilient futures market this afternoon ensured the first positive close for four trading days.

Besides the resources heavyweights, notable stocks included Brambles, which retraced some of its recent gains, and Qantas which was heavily traded ahead of an expected announcement about the level of foreign ownership of the company.

Rises outnumbered falls by a ratio of four to three while 35 percent of issues traded remained steady.-Reuter