End of Day Report – Thursday 6 March: ASX 200 falls 46 points | Plenty of stocks ex-div weighing

The ASX 200 continued to struggle down 46 points at 8095 (0.6%) as stocks going ex -dividend weighed. Banks eased yet again with CBA off 1.8% and WBC down 0.9% as the Big Bank Basket fell to $248.82 (-1.1%). MQG off another 0.4% as one broker downgraded. Insurers also in the eye of the cyclone, SUN down 1.0% and QBE dropping 1.3%. REITs eased back, GMG down 0.2% and SCG off 0.9%. Industrials also lost ground, WES fell 1.6% with WOW and COL slipping, QAN down 2.0% from heady highs and TLS slid 1.0%. REA was a positive today up 4.3%. Tech mixed again, WTC up 4.7%. In resources, RIO Ex dividend knocked 2.2% off, BHP down 0.8% after it went Ex, gold miners better, NEM up 1.4% and EVN up 2.7% on copper exposure too. SFR ran 4.8% on its copper exposure, MIN bounced 2.6% and WAF jumped 11.9% on production upgrades. Oil and gas stocks on the nose as crude hits 3-year lows, WDS down 4.7% (XD) and STO off 1.9%. Uranium stocks feeling slightly perkier, BOE up 1.3% and PDN up 1.1% on some broker upgrades. On the corporate front, AMC dropped1.6 % on plans to reorganise it business. AUD has had its best week since 2023. LTM now delisted. SGR looks to HK for a bail out as Brisbane casino set to be sold. On the economic front, Building approvals rose 6.3%. Asian markets remain firm, Alibaba helping Japan up 0.9%, HK up 2.6% and China up 1.3%. 10-year yields back up to 4.48%.

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