But while there was good news from Qantas and Flight Centre, we heard different stories from Lihir Gold and engineer, Bradken.
It was gloom on the downside. Lihir shares shed a couple of per cent, Bradken shares lost a staggering 40% in value on news of a flat first half and a less than forecast rise in full year forecast earnings.
Lihir is our second largest listed gold miner but that didn't help when it revealed its second production downgrade in as many months.
Lihir cut its full-year production forecast for the second time this year because of lower ore grades and unplanned plant shutdowns continued to disrupted output.
The company said output for the year to the end of this month will now be 700,000 ounces, 7% lower than its previous estimate.
Its earlier forecast of 750,000 ounces was down on a first estimate of 800,000 to 830,000 ounces, but the final figure will still be a record for the miner, it's just not as big a record as first forecast.
The fall has stopped the company from fully exploiting near record world gold prices in the past couple of months. Currency pressures from the higher Australian dollar and weaker US are also hurting earnings.
Lihir reduced its estimate in October after a strike at its mine in Papua New Guinea stopped output for two weeks.
Chief Executive Officer Arthur Hood is seeking to benefit from gold prices at 27-year highs after ending forward sales contracts and starting a $550 million expansion study.
"Despite these temporary setbacks, Lihir remains on track to achieve record production in 2007,'' Mr Hood said in the statement to the ASX.
He said expansion projects and the removal of forward contract hedging earlier this year "will position Lihir for a strong improvement in operating cash flows in 2008 and beyond".
Lihir shares fell 18c to $3.72. Volume was more than 19.6 million shares.
