End of Day Report - Mon 20 Dec

Marcus Today Market Updates

• The ASX 200 fell 12 points today to 7292 (0.2%) in listless trade. Better than the rest of Asia though. Plenty of risk coming off the Xmas table. Banks were softer after some recent gains, the Big Bank Basket eased to $175.99 (-0.4%) with MFG hurting the sector falling 33.0% after it confirmed that it had lost a substantial mandate. MQG also slipped slightly down 1.4%, and insurers mixed. Big miners and energy stocks were mixed too with STO off 4.8% and WPL down 2.9%, under pressure, but FMG rose 2.5% and S32 up 1.0%. Gold miners were positive in the main, SBM are trying to acquire BDC, SBM fell 6.5% whilst BDC rose 14.6%. NCM rose 1.7% but NST fell 1.4%. Healthcare had a good day as CSL rallied 0.6% after last week’s indigestion. FPH and RMD rose on potential CV19 wins, RHC better by 1.8% and HLS doing well as tests ramp up, rising 3.3%.
• Industrials generally were firm, TCL rose 0.7%, ALL up 0.7% and TLS firming 0.5%. Consumer stocks were in demand, COL up 1.8% and WOW up 1.0%. Tech was once again on the nose although APT rose 1.5%. The All -Tech Index down 0.3%.
• In corporate news, CIM fell 13.4% before an ASX query on a media article on issues in the Middle east. VEA rose 3.72% on a business update, money managers slid a little as MFG fell 33.0%, TLX fell 6.2% after FDA approvals for its prostate drug Illuccix. Nothing on the economic front. 10-year yields 1.53% off slightly.

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