3 stocks rising more than 5% today

ASX closes up 0.1%, on low volumes as Hurricane Sandy threatens the US

Mike King

Mike King is a Fool.com.au Investment Analyst and Writer. He caught the investing bug more than a decade ago, at a time when the U.S. had invaded Iraq and fear reigned in the markets. His initial success as the markets took off encouraged his passion and thirst for knowledge. With 13 years behind him at one of Australia's largest domestic banks, Mike's passion for stocks led him to join a boutique funds management firm, where he stayed for four years. A seven-year stint in equity research at one of the largest investment banks in the world followed that, giving Mike a thirst to pursue his passion further. Mike holds a Diploma in Applied Finance and Investment and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning. His passion is to help retail investors invest better, and that passion was one of his primary reasons for joining The Motley Fool Australia in late 2011. Mike has written thousands of articles since joining, including for Fairfax Media, Yahoo!7, Ninemsn and has also appeared on ABC's The Business. You can see all of Mikes' holdings here

Published October 29, 2012 5:20 pm AEDT

The S&P / ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) has closed up 0.1%, ending at 4,476.9, following flat markets on Wall Street on Friday. Volumes today were very low as investors maybe sitting on the sidelines, waiting for more direction from global markets. US markets are likely to be closed tonight our time, and possibly Tuesday night, thanks to Hurricane Sandy.

The Australian dollar was fairly flat against the US dollar, currently buying US 103.5 cents.

These three stocks posted rises of over 5% today.

Fairfax Media Limited (ASX: FXJ) added 7.8% to close at 41.5 cents, possibly on renewed confidence in management to turnaround the company and reduce costs. At the company's AGM last week, the board acknowledged that at some point in the future, it would be a digital only business. With net debt of over $900 million and $2.5 billion in intangible assets, the company (and shareholders) still face some hefty risks.

APN News & Media Limited (ASX: APN) saw its shares rise 7.1%, closing at 37.5 cents. Both Fairfax and APN visited India earlier this month to look at potentially outsourcing their finance and accounting functions as a means of reducing costs, according to the Australian Financial Review (owned by Fairfax). Speculation is also rife that consolidation in the media sector is inevitable, which may be increasing investors' willingness to buy shares in the media stocks.

Energy World Corporation (ASX: EWC) rose 5.7%, and closed at 37 cents. A perennial yo-yo stock, the company's share price is extremely volatile and appears to be at the mercy of speculators. The share price is only slightly above the price it was 13 years ago, showing it hasn't been a great investment for shareholders. This year the company has also had to fend off suggestions of improper conduct from the media.

If you only invest in one company this year, make it our "Top Stock for 2012-13". Operating in two hot markets — one set to double by 2012, the other predicted to grow 5x over the next five years — this stock is a solid growth play that also boasts strong recurring revenue, zero debt, and lots of cash. Get its name and full research case in this brand-new FREE report.