Trading this morning opened lower on the Sydney Futures Exchange. The December share price index contract was 14 points lower at 4637.

Banking stocks lifted the overall market on Wednesday. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 Index gained 7.7 points (0.2 percent) at 4625.2, while the broader All Ordinaries Index advanced 9.8 points (0.2 percent) at 4674.7.

Bank shares soared yesterday. Westpac Banking Corporation climbed 23 cents at $23.55 as the National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) jumped 10 cents at $25.86. The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) inched up one cent at $23.81. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), however, slid 12 cents at $52.50.

The wealth managers somehow came out of the trading with gains. AMP Limited (ASX: AMP) increased four cents at $5.13 and the Insurance Australia Group Limited (ASX: IAG) went up two cents at $3.68. The QBE Insurance Group Limited (ASX: QBE) has to go up after falling 36 cents at $17.65.

Mining giant BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) went up 18 cents at $38.90 but Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) went down 33 cents to settle at $74.90.

Retailers struggle on. Woolworths Limited rose 26 cents at $28.79 and Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) increased one cent at $3.88. David Jones Limited (ASX: DJS) has to keep up after going down 10 cents at $5.10.

Transportation is keeping up with Toll Holdings Limited (ASX: TOL) up one cent at $6.66 and Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) staying at $2.67.