Aussie stocks fall; Nufarm jumps to record

(Adds Nufarm, updates indexes)

SYDNEY, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Australian shares fell 1 percent
on Monday, as financial firms such as Macquarie Group (MQG.AX)
and major banks came under renewed pressure following more bad
news out of credit markets.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO fell 67.5 points to
6,629.1 by 0031 GMT, adding to a 1.9 percent decline in the
previous session.

New Zealand's benchmark NZX-50 index .NZ50 edged up 0.05
percent, or 1.91 points, to 4,156.04. The top stock, Telecom
Corp of New Zealand Ltd (TEL.NZ), was down nearly 1 percent at
NZ$4.13.

STOCKS ON THE MOVE

* Farm chemicals group Nufarm Ltd. (NUF.AX) jumped as much
as 12.3 percent to a record A$17.52 after it agreed to a
takeover proposal worth up to A$3 billion ($2.75 billion) from
a consortium led by China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina)
[ID:nSYD225587].

Shares in Nufarm, which had beem on trading halt since
Thursday, last traded up 11.5 percent at A$17.40.

The ChemChina consortium had offered to pay Nufarm up to
A$17.25 a share plus a 30 cents dividend.

0029 GMT

* Coal seam gas explorer Blue Energy Ltd (BUL.AX) rose 6.7
percent to A$0.32 after it said it has held informal talks with
Sydney Gas Ltd SGL.AX about a number of potential proposals
[ID:nSYD220891].

Shares in Sydney Gas were up 1.2 percent at A$0.42.

0011 GMT

* Contractor Macmahon Holdings Ltd (MAH.AX) rose 2.4
percent to A$1.72 after construction firm Leighton Holdings Ltd
(LEI.AX) said it has formed a partnership with Macmahon for
joint venture infrastructure and construction projects
[ID:nSYD342247].

0011 GMT

* Persistent worries about global credit markets kept
financial firms under pressure.

Macquarie Group, Australia's top investment bank, dropped 3
percent to A$79.83 on its debut as a new company following a
completion of a restructure [ID:nSYD114820].

Allco Finance Group (AFG.AX) fell 2.8 percent to A$7.28 and
Babcock & Brown (BNB.AX) lost 3.4 percent to A$28.60.

2343 GMT

* The top banks also fell, with National Australia Bank Ltd
(NAB.AX) down 1.2 percent at A$42.60 and Commonwealth Bank of
Australia Ltd (CBA.AX) falling 1.6 percent to A$60.20.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ.AX) lost
0.8 percent to A$29.76 while Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AX) fell
0.9 percent to A$30.21.

2343 GMT

* Energy firms gained after oil prices surged 2.5 percent
on Friday, nearing a fresh peak on strong U.S. economic data
[ID:nSP281836].

Santos Ltd (STO.AX) jumped 2.3 percent to A$13.52, while
Tap Oil (TAP.AX) rose 0.8 percent to A$2.42.

* Gold miners rose after the price of the precious metal
XAU= jumped above $800 per ounce for the first time since
1980 on Friday, boosted by surging oil prices, a record low
dollar and more fallout from the global credit market crisis
[ID:nL0244967].

Newcrest Mining (NCM.AX) climbed 2.2 percent to A$33.42,
Lihir Gold (LGL.AX) rose 1.7 percent to A$4.24 and Sino Gold
(SGX.AX) gained 1.7 percent to A$7.62. 2339 GMT
($1=A$1.09)
($1=NZ$1.31)