Aust share market finishes 1.5% lower The Australian share market finished sharply weaker, dragged down by resources stocks that went ex-dividend, including mining heavyweight BHP Billiton. Every sector, except property, finished in the red as transport groups Brambles and Toll also traded ex-dividend. CommSec market analyst Tom Pietrowski said the local bourse was dragged down by the underperformance of the resources sector. "The stocks going ex-dividend fed into the weakness," Mr Pietrowski said. Together, all of those made a significant impact on the market. When stocks go ex-dividend, they usually drop in price by the amount of the dividend as the investor owning the security on the ex-dividend date will be awarded the payment. BHP Billiton was $1.27, or 3.5 per cent, lower at $35.57 while Rio Tinto sagged $2.43, or 3.7 per cent, to $63.65. Miner Lynas was flat at 59 cents even though it announced it will have a new chief executive from April as it ramps up production of its rare earths refinery in Malaysia. Southern Cross Austereo Media added five cents to $1.575 following reports it was considering a merger with television network Nine Entertainment, if changes to media laws are approved. News Corporation fell two cents to $28.50 as it said it was selling its 44 per cent stake in New Zealand pay television business SKY Network Television. News Corp non voting shares rose 13 cents to $28.18. Fairfax Media was steady at 57 cents on a day its broadsheets, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, were reduced to compact size, with editors insisting the historic change would not affect content. Boral slipped 12 cents to $5.01 after it said it would merge its construction materials and cement divisions into one business, resulting in the departure of long-serving manager Murray Read. National turnover was 1.89 billion securities worth $5.24 billion, with 621 stocks down, 295 up and 382 unchanged. The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US1,579.60 per fine ounce, down $US0.75 from Friday's local close at $US1,580.35 per ounce.