ASX 200 falls 69 points to 6731 (1%). Rallied a little but Asian markets weaker hurting sentiment. Banks help up well with the BigBankBasket up to $182.41 (0.4%). MQG though continued to be pressured falling 2.9% with insurers flat. Fund managers falling away again, GQG down 3.6%, MFG off another 4.8% and PDL down 3.0%. Healthcare stocks slipped led by CSL down 1.9%, COH off 3.3% and RMD down 2.2%. Industrials eased as WES fell 0.8%, BXB down 2.0% and TCL off 1.1% on rising yields. Telcos and ‘old skool’ platforms slid, TLS down 0.8%, REA falling 4.2%. Tech down and small tech remains under pressure, XRO down 5.2% and the All-Tech Index down 3.7%. Resources were an unhappy place to be as China wallows in CV19 protectionism, although there are some signs of easing quarantine for incoming passengers. Unlikely to help much. BHP fell 2.3%, FMG off 4.0% and base metals stocks under pressure, S32 down 2.7% and LYC down 4.2%. Lithium companies fell, PLS down 2.2% and AKE dipping 2.8%, graphite and battery companies benefitted from Biden building back better batteries. SYR up 10.6% and NVX the best up 7.0%. On oil and gas, WDS knocked it out of the park with higher LNG prices, rising 6.2%, STO also doing well on its production report rising 2.0%. Old king coal not such a merry old soul as brokers trimmed recommendations after the huge runs with rain continuing.
In corporate news, CGF bounced 4.6% on Q1 AUM and sales rising, MP1 fell 11.8% as it restated some crucial numbers from presentation, SFR fell 13.2% on quarterly update. RBL burst popping 26.9% with CGS also down 9.4% on a business update.
On the economic front, jobless came in again at 3.5% with a mere 900 jobs added below forecast. In Asian markets, some buying appeared at the lows after the HK market fell to a 13-year low, Japan fell 1% after the BoJ had to intervene as the Yen hit 150 v the USD.
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