By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 was trading 19.1 points or 0.3% lower at 7,302.9 after the first 45 minutes of Wednesday's trade, following a public holiday yesterday, with investors tracking declines on Wall Street as weaker than expected earnings results from First Republic Bank (NYSE:FRC) soured risk sentiment.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.1% lower.
Among stocks, materials fell 1.2% collectively, with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) down 1.5%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) falling 2%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) down 2.5% and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) falling 2.8%.
Information Technology lost 0.4% overall as Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) dipped 1.3%, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) fell 0.5%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) lost 2.4%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) shed 1.6% and Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) lost 2.5%.
Meanwhile, annualised Australian consumer price index data is expected to come in at 6.9% from 7.8% in the last period.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were at 3.355%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 fell 98.7 points or 0.8% to 11,927.7.