By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 finished flat at 7,386.3 during Tuesday’s trading session, snapping 4 sessions of consecutive gain and closing just below 8-month highs as investors retreated from major mining stocks amid Chinese GDP data and easing copper prices.
Among stocks, Materials declined 1.1%, with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) down 1.2%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) falling 1.1%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) down 1.3% and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) dipping 2.7%.
Utilities led losses, down 1.3% as Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG) lost 2.1%, Genesis Energy Ltd (ASX:GNE) fell 0.8% and AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) lost 0.9%.
Meanwhile, Consumer Staples lifted 1.8% as Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW) gained 2.5%, Graincorp Ltd (ASX:GNC) added 0.9%, Coles Group Ltd (ASX:COL) gained 2% and Metcash Ltd (ASX:MTS) added 2.7%.
On the data front, Westpac’s consumer sentiment posted its biggest increase since April 2021.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were at 3.613% while United States 10-Year yields were at 3.54%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.6% to 11,881.