By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The ASX 200 lost 12.90 points or 0.18% to 7,314.20 in Thursday’s morning deals, extending losses of 0.7% in the previous session despite global markets surging after the US Federal Reserve announced a more aggressive tapering of monthly asset purchases and flagged multiple rate hikes for 2022.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.47% lower.
Among stocks, CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) was among the biggest laggards, falling x it returned to trade after announcing late on Tuesday that it was buying up Swisse company Vifor Pharma AG (SIX:VIFN) for $16.4 billion.
Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX:QAN) has flagged a half-year loss in excess of $1.1 billion as the Delta and Omicron variants of coronavirus continue to threaten travel bookings.
Major miners were mixed, with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) and BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) down 0.94% and 1.22% respectively, while Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) added 0.38%.
Real estate stocks were back in the green, with Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) up 1.21%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) adding 0.74%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) up 1.33% and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) gaining 3.04%.
Financials were higher as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) gained 1.57%, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) ticked up 0.07%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) added 0.29% and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) gained 1.26%.
BNPL names gained as Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT) added 2.25%, Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) lifted 1.13% and Ioupay Ltd (ASX:IOU) gained 3.13%.
Information technology companies also lifted, with Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) up 2.87%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) up 1.37%, Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX:LNK) adding 1.12%, Altium Ltd (ASX:ALU) up 1.58%, Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) lifting 2.71% and Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) gaining 3.92%.
Among currencies, the Australian Dollar was 0.12% lower at 0.71565 while the US Dollar Index eased from near 17-month highs to 96.238.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at 1.588%, while United States 10-Year rate were at 1.47%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 was 0.34% lower at 12,826.