STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN STOCKS DOWN AT NOON - NOV 1, 2002.

SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian share market had lost more than half the ground it gained yesterday by noon, brought down by weaker banking and resource sectors and a softer News Corp.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia recorded the sharpest drop of the banks, falling more than four per cent by 1210 AEDT, with investors disappointed the bank is forecasting only modest growth for the current financial year.

Senior adviser at Challenge First Pacific, Stuart Smith, believed the drop in the market was also partly a correction of yesterday's end of month buying spree.

At 1210 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was 26.7 points down at ...