BHP, Goodman Group, QBE, Rio, St. Barbara, Telstra: Australia, N.Z. Stocks

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 0.1 percent to 4,573.20 at the 4:10 p.m. close of trading in Sydney. New Zealand’s NZX 50 Index advanced 1 percent to 3,174.14 at the 5 p.m. close in Wellington.

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

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard clinched a deal today with two independent lawmakers, paving the way for the Labor Party to form a minority government after the closest election in 70 years.

Mining shares: BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP AU), the world’s largest mining company, declined 0.3 percent to A$38.44.

Rio Tinto Group (RIO AU), the world’s third-biggest miner, dropped 0.9 percent to A$74.35.

Goodman Group (GMG AU) fell 1.5 percent to 66.5 Australian cents and ING Industrial Fund (IIF AU) dropped 2.1 percent to 46.5 Australian cents. Investa Property Group and Goodman Group may face competition for the management rights to the A$3.2 billion ($2.9 billion) ING Industrial Fund, the Australian Financial Review reported in its Street Talk column.

Macquarie Group Ltd. (MQG AU) fell 2.2 percent to A$34.47. Australia’s biggest investment bank started cutting jobs late yesterday, the same day it said first-half profit would fall 25 percent, the Australian newspaper reported.

QBE Insurance Group Ltd. (QBE AU) advanced 3.6 percent to A$17.67. Australia’s biggest insurer by market value had its stock rating raised to “buy” from “neutral” by analysts led by James Coghill at UBS AG.

St. Barbara Ltd. (SBM AU) plunged 5.3 percent to 36 Australian cents. The gold exploration and production company is considering a 6-for-1 stock consolidation plan, according to a regulatory filing.

To contact the reporter for this story: Lisa Pham in Sydney at lpham14@bloomberg.net.

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