By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 fell 3.7 points or 0.05% to 7460.9 on Friday, declining for the 5th consecutive session and posting the worst weekly performance in seven months as investors were mixed amid corporate earnings while accelerating daily infection rates of the coronavirus Delta variant across the country also dampened risk sentiment.
New South Wales reported a near record 644 fresh cases today as health authorities extended the lockdown until the end of September and introduced a 9pm curfew in 12 local government areas of concern. Victoria recorded 55 fresh cases amid rising fears of a regional lockdown after a fresh outbreak in Shepparton. Queensland recorded a single case in home quarantine, linked to the current Indooroopilly outbreak, while ACT reported 12 fresh cases as residents remain in lockdown for the second week.
Among stocks, miners were mixed with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) adding 0.06%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) falling 0.74% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lifting 1.14% after Iron ore prices plummeted to 6-month lows overnight. Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) closed 3.25% lower after reporting results, while Cochlear Ltd (ASX:COH) fell 7.43% after its results.
On the bond markets, local 10-year bond yields were at 7-month lows of 1.084% while U.S. 10-year rates were near 2-week lows of 1.232%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 lost 16.48 points or 0.13% to 12940.49.