S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
Australian equities inched lower around midday on Friday, hovering around 9,071 after closing modestly higher in the prior session, heading for the second straight weekly decline. A sharp drop on Wall Street overnight weighed on sentiment as long-dated U.S. Treasury yields resumed their march higher, after the government’s moves to stem the recent bond market rout failed to ease investor fears about inflation. Locally, private sector activity slowed in August, with the flash Composite PMI slipping from July’s 6-month high amid a decline in manufacturing output. Caution also grew ahead of July inflation readings next week. Meanwhile, employment unexpectedly fell in July, pushing the jobless rate to a three-month high. Tech, healthcare, and commercial services weighed though gains in energy minerals, utilities, and communications capped the downside. Steep losses were seen for Charter Hall (-6.3%), Pro Medicus (-3.3%), Wisetech Global (-2.9%), and Lynas Rare Earths (-2.2%).
