Australia's red day saw the country harmonising with most of its counterparts in the Asian region as the ASX200 closed 0.1% down. Heading towards close, the Japanese Nikkei was down -0.23% while the Hong Kong Hang Seng index was up +2.3%.
The ASX200 is up three quarters of a per cent. The Energy sector spurred early gains, driven by Strike Energy (ASX:STX), which is up more than 6 per cent on its update to net gas pay, (ASX:DYL) joins the ASX200 tomorrow and Hancock Prospecting now holds 7.5% of Vulcan Energy Resources (ASX:VUL).
The S&P/ASX200 (ASX:XJO) was dragged lower by the materials sector, one of the 10 sectors finishing in the red, as a 4 per cent fall in iron ore prices dragged it down 2.7 per cent.
The ASX200 closed the day down about a per cent – with nearly all sectors in the red – as the market awaits Australia’s interest rates decision tomorrow.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO) surrendered 81.5 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 7414.8, while the broader All Ordinaries (INDEXASX: XAO) was also down by 1.1 per cent, losing 83 points to 7,647.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO) index added 36.3 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 7,235.3 points at the close. The broader All Ordinaries (INDEXASX: XAO) rose 36.2 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 7,446.4.