By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 fell 44.8 points or 0.7% to 6,772.7 after the first hour of Friday’s trade, slipping from two week highs and declining for the first time this week amid fading risk appetite as overnight speeches from U.S. Federal Resesrve officials dashed hopes for a slower pace of interest rate increases.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.1% lower.
Among stocks, Real estate companies led declines, down 2.1%, with Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) down 1.7%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) falling 2.4%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) down 1.8% and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) falling 1.8%.
Utilities dipped 0.9% with Brambles Ltd (ASX:BXB) down 0.6%, Transurban Group (ASX:TCL) falling 1% and Reece Ltd (ASX:REH) dipping 0.5%.
Materials also retreated 0.9% collectively as Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) lost 0.7%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) dipped 1%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lost 0.9% and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) fell 3.9%.
Ahead in the session, traders will be looking toward the release of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s financial stability review, Chinese manufacturing PMIs as well the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report later in the evening.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at 3.861% while United States 10-Year yields were at 3.822%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 fell 0.1% to 11,111.9.