Australia’s share market is edging lower, as a drop in mining stocks outweighs a broadly positive move for the rest of the exchange.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 fell 28.6 points by midday on Thursday to be down 0.32 per cent to 8,812.5, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 26.7 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 9,009.5.
Australia’s largest company BHP loomed large, falling more than three per cent to $58.70 after its 2027 copper production guidance came in weaker than forecast.
The local exchange shrugged off a positive lead from Wall Street overnight after easing US inflation softened the odds of a near-term US interest rate hike.
Australia’s share market offered fewer positives than its global counterparts in the near term, Atchison Consultants principal Kevin Toohey said.
“Local economic conditions are stable, but elevated equity valuations, subdued earnings growth and tight monetary settings limit upside,” Mr Toohey said.
“With financial conditions likely to remain restrictive compared with global peers, we retain an underweight stance toward Australian equities for the remainder of the year.”
Gold stocks also dragged on the exchange as the precious metal eased to $US4,037 ($A5,773) an ounce, dragging the sub-index 1.4 per cent lower.
Rare earths and battery minerals producers also sold off as the broader raw materials sector tumbled by more than two per cent.
The energy segment was also under pressure, as Brent crude hovered near $US85 a barrel for a second day as hostilities between the US and Iran continued.
Woodside and Santos, most coal miners, uranium producers and refinery operator Viva Energy slipped lower, while Ampol traded flat.
The heavyweight financials sector offered some support with 0.7 per cent advance as NAB led the big four banks higher, while Macquarie cooled after surging on Wednesday.
Consumer-facing stocks continued to be a mixed bag, with cyclicals up one per cent while the more defensive staples eased 0.3 per cent as Coles and Woolworths dragged.
In company news, Xero independent non-executive director Anjali Joshi won’t stand for re-election to the board ahead of the company’s annual meeting on August 27.
Coles has launched a legal challenge against the competition watchdog, after the regulator blocked the supermarket giant from opening a second supermarket and liquor store in Kalgoorlie.
4DMedical has been placed in a trading halt ahead of a company statement responding to a bill being proposed in US Congress.
Shares in Perpetual Ltd crept higher to $19.11 after it received a takeover bid from Swedish private equity group EQT at $22.07 a share, subject to multiple conditions, including completion of the sale of Perpetual’s wealth management business to Bain Capital.
The Australian dollar was buying 69.92 US cents, up from 69.86 US cents on Wednesday at 5pm.
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