By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The ASX 200 lost 12.80 points or 0.17% to 7,386.60 in Thursday’s deals, extending declines of 0.15% in the previous session as market participants proved pessimistic on financial and energy stocks, with technology names lifting as long term bond yields cooled, while higher Iron ore prices boosted mining companies.
ASX 200 Futures were trading 0.11% lower.
Among stocks, tech companies lifted on easing bond yields overnight, with Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) up 1.59%, Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) adding 0.44%, Technology One Ltd (ASX:TNE) lifting 1.83% and Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) up 1.7%. BNPL darlings Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) gained 2.97% and 2.45% respectively.
Major mining companies also lifted, with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) up 1.25%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) gaining 0.86% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) surging 2.85%.
Financials proved a drag on the broader market as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) lost 1.64%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) fell 0.25%, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) lost 0.68%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) fell 0.42% and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) shed 0.5%.
Energy stocks traded lower, with Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) down 0.94%, Oil Search Ltd (ASX:OSH) losing 0.24%, Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) falling 0.66% and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) down 0.78%.
Meantime, EML Payments Ltd (ASX:EML) rallied 20% after the company reported that the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) will permit its Irish subsidiary to sign new customers and launch new programs whilst staying within the material growth restrictions.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at 1.872%, while United States 10-Year rates were at 1.643%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.45% to 12,828.