End of Day Report – Wednesday 18 December: ASX 200 down 4 ahead of Fed | IFL board rejects bid

The ASX 200 fell 5 points to 8309 as early gains melted away. Fed decision tonight. Banks were under pressure for a change with CBA down 0.9% and ANZ off 0.2% as the Big Bank Basket fell to $259.93 (0.6%). Insurers slid too with SUN off 1.7% and IAG falling 2.2%. REITs were generally firmer, GMG up again, Healthcare had a good day with CSL leading the charge higher on hopes of vaccines being unaffected in the US. Industrials were ok. TCL rising 1.9% and CPU up 1.8% with tech doing ok. WTC up 1.1% and the All-Tech Index up 0.8%. APA fell 2.4% in utilities following broker comments on Basslink miss. Resources were mixed, BHP and RIO flat, gold miners fell, WGX up % an exception. Uranium stocks slightly better, and oil and gas mixed. In corporate news, the IFL board rejected the Bain overtures, OBL rose 50.3% on a good deal with Ares. MSB will begin a Nasdaq listing next week. VUL rallied another 1.9% on further EU loan commitments. On the economic front, Dr Jim released MYEFO showing a $22bn budget blowout. In Asian markets, Japan down 0.5%, HK rose 0.7% and China up 0.5%. 10-year yields at 4.28%.

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