Aust stocks lower at noon Australian stocks were flat at noon, as some encouraging local data helped the market overcome a slow start to the new trading week. The local market commenced trading on a negative note, as investors took their cues from a poor finish on Wall Street and lower commodities prices during weekend offshore trading. But after opening down about half a per cent, the market clawed back some of those losses during morning trade. Macquarie Private Wealth division director Lucinda Chan said the market took some encouragement from figures which showed Australian retail sales rose 0.2 per cent in April, broadly in line with economists' expectations. "That was quite positive so that's probably in some respects also cushioning us a little bit here locally," Ms Chan said. Australia has done particularly well to hold ground I think. Better-than-expected manufacturing data from China published over the weekend also gave the local market a boost. Materials stocks were down 0.97 per cent at noon, with BHP having dipped 46 cents to $34.42 and Rio off 98 cents at $54.20. Australia's big four banks were in positive territory. ANZ was up 48.5 cents at $28.025, CBA had climbed 86 cents to $67.72, NAB had advanced 68 cents to $29.68 and Westpac was 80 cents higher at $29.24. Making news on Monday, shares in Cochlear have tumbled after the hearing implant maker reported slowing growth so far in 2013. Cochlear was down $7.91, or 12.26 per cent, at $56.63. Also well down was waste management company Transpacific, which announced the resignation of its chief executive and downgraded profit estimates for 2012/13. Transpacific was down 10.5 cents, or 11.8 per cent, at 78.5 cents. At 1220 AEST on Monday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 1.4 points, or 0.03 per cent, at 4,928 points. The broader All Ordinaries index was down 3.8 points, or 0.08 per cent, at 4,910.2 points. The June share price index futures contract was up two points at 4,935 points, with 18,990 contracts traded. National turnover was 650.4 million securities worth $1.7 billion.