The ASX 200 closed up a mere 9 points at 8,978 (0.1%), as a solid start gave way to caution ahead of the weekend. There was a bounce today in some of the oversold small and mid-cap stocks as the banks eased back, with CBA down 0.4% and ANZ down 0.5%, and the Big Bank Basket falling to $294.04 (0.5%). Financials were slightly firmer, with MQG leading the charge, up 1.2%. Other financials also bounced well, but insurers slipped, with QBE down 2.5% and IAG down 1.5%.
Elsewhere, industrials were somewhat weaker, with WOW and COL seeing sellers, together with REA, CAR and SEK. Healthcare was also under pressure, with CSL down 3.8% and RMD falling 1.5%. Technology stocks eased back in the software space, but the hardware and data centre sector firmed, with WTC down 4.2% and NXT up 4.5%.
In resources, buyers returned for BHP and RIO, together with the gold miners, which were stronger as EVN rose 1.9% and NEM gained 3.5%. Lithium stocks, though, remain weak, with PLS down 1.4% and LTR continuing to fall from grace. Oil and gas stocks flat, with WDS up 0.2% and STO up 0.1%, while coal stocks also slipped as uranium stocks bounced slightly.
In corporate news, FMG took a $746.8m hit on its Iron Bridge project. ORG was up 0.9% with Octopus adding 2.2 million customers, while OBM had a good day as it expanded the footprint of its Little Gem Gold Project. MGH also got the tick of approval to sell its construction business to Heidelberg.
In economic news, China factory activity unexpectedly contracted in July.
Asian markets were better, with the Nikkei 225 up 4.3%, Hong Kong down 0.2%, China up 1.2%, and Korea up a record 17.4%. US futures were firmer, with the Dow up 242 points and the Nasdaq up 322 points. European markets are set to open around 0.5% higher.
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