Local shares have picked up where they left off yesterday, rising another 0.6% today with the S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) once again pushing on 5,400 points.
While it is the miners and the banks doing most of the heavy lifting, there are a number of shares which have generated significant gains for the day so far…
BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) shares have lifted another 3.3% today, taking their total gain to more than 7% for the week so far. The gain appears to be the result of a lift in the iron ore and oil prices overnight, which may have been spurred, in part, by the recent weakness in the US dollar.
Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (ASX: LNG) shares are, by far, the best performers from the ASX 200 cohort today. After rising as much as 21.4% earlier, the shares are now trading 13.1% higher at 82 cents. That also represents a 32.3% gain since the beginning of the week.
Indeed, the company was even issued an 'ASX Price and Volume Query' on Monday to explain the recent activity, although it said it was not aware of any reason as to why its shares were climbing so strongly.
Capitol Health Ltd (ASX: CAJ) shares have risen 5.6%. The company's share price has been crushed over the last 12 months as a result of a review into the Medicare Benefits Schedule. However, they're on the rise again today after the business said it had entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to provide tele-radiology reporting, clinical training and mentoring services to Sunshine Insurance Group's new hospital in China.
Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) shares have risen another 4.3% today, taking them to $2.44. Remarkably, they've risen almost 48% since the beginning of the year and 267% over the last 12 months. Today's gain, however, appears to have been sparked by a bullish target price given to the shares by Bell Potter, which thinks they could rise as high as $2.80, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
Although they have already enjoyed an incredible run, Appen's shares are still worth the attention of long-term investors willing to take on a little bit of extra risk.
