The ASX 200 lived up to its new Friday ‘free fall’ and dropped 126 points to 8925 (1.4%). Friday the 13th. Banks gave back some ground today as WBC delivered numbers in line. The Big Bank Basket drooped to $303.62(-1.0%). ANZ continued 1.3% higher on broker upgrades. Financials were sold down again, HUB off 4.1% and MQG falling 0.9% with GQG bucking the trend on better-than-expected results. ZIP fell hard as a tech stock should, down 8.5%. Insurers eased back. IAG the exception after results, up 1.0%. REITs were slightly firmer, GMG rallied 2.4% and SCG up 1.6%. Healthcare back in A&E with RMD down another % and CSL slipping 1.4%. COH fell 18.9% on results hitting deaf ears, as it downgraded guidance. Industrials were a sea of red, SGH off 2.7%, QAN down 1.2% and ALL down 5.0%. Utilities found friends on defensive buying. Technology stocks once again sold back into the bronze age, WTC down 10.4% and XRO falling 4.5%. The All-Tech Index losing another 4.7%.

Resources were also a sea of red, gold miners slid with NST off 3.5% and EVN giving 3.7% back. BHP down 1.8% on lower copper pricing, RIO holding firm and lithium stocks depressed. Energy stocks needing a boost, WDS down 2.1% and uranium seeing some fallout.

In corporate news, the bid for WJL came undone, the stock dropping 25.2%. NCK punished on LFL sales miss, down 22.2% %, ASB sunk 22.8% after some double counting revealed after the close last night.

In economic news, CBA says the neutral cash rate is now 3.6%. Pretty much the same as inflation, so that is easy to work out then. Australian households were in spending mode over summer. The latest CommBank Household Spending Insights Index shows spending rose 0.5%in January, marking 16 consecutive months of growth.

Standard Chartered warned of further bitcoin weakness and the largest US crypto exchange swung to a loss in the fourth quarter.

US futures Dow down 20 and Nasdaq down 10.

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