By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 eased 4.9 points or 0.1% to 6,802.4 after the first hour of Wednesday’s trade, following gains of 0.3% in the previous session as investors await key inflation data due later this morning.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.3% higher.
Among stocks, Health Care led the gains, up 1.4% as CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) gained 2%, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd (ASX:FPH) climbed 1% and Resmed Inc (ASX:RMD) added 1.3%.
Consumer Staples were trading mixed with Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW) adding 0.8%, Coles Group Ltd (ASX:COL) up 0.5%, Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX:TWE) gaining 1% and Metcash Ltd (ASX:MTS) up 0.7%.
Information Technology led declines, down 0.4% as Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) lost 4.3%, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) fell 0.9%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) dipped 3.2% and Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) traded flat.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were 3.365% while United States 10-Year yields were at 2.81%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.5% to 11,218.7.