End of day – Friday 19th August

•  ASX 200 closes flat after a quiet day at index level but a flurry of results provide plenty of fun beneath the surface. Banks slid slightly with the Big Bank Basket down to $176.15 (1.2%). CBA down 1.0%, ANZ off 2.0% and other financials unchanged. MQG flat, insurers flat too. Healthcare suffering with CSL down 1.5% and FPH dropping 5.2% on results. RHC up 1.6% and COH up 2.2% on its results. Industrials firmed to finish the week, WES up 0.7%, TLS doing well up 0.5% as TPG fell hard on disappointing results, down 12.5%. Tech slightly higher although XRO falling 2.0% on negative broker moves. The All-Tech Index down 0.3%. REITS struggled led lower by GMG down 2.6%. Resources were better finishing the week in style as IO stocks rallied, BHP up 1.0%, FMG up 0.4% and RIO up 1.5%. Base metals stocks also doing well with S32 up 1.7% as coal stocks fired up yet again, WHC 6.2% TER up 7.8% and NHC rising 4.0%. Lithium stocks still a little becalmed and some profit taking creeping in, LTR down 1.5% but majors better, AKE up 1.5%. Oil and gas stocks doing well as crude rises, WDS up 4.2%, STO up 6.4% and KAR doing very well up 7.3%. Gold miners better as NCM rose 3.6% on better than expected results. 
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• In corporate news, plenty going on as we hit the half-way point on results. TPG cratered on mobile wars, AX1 had a great day on better numbers, up 11.0%. ING down 9.4% with LFS off 1.6% as Fahour set to leave in a year. Nothing significant on the economic front. Asian markets mixed but little changed. 10-year yields up to 3.39%, creeping higher. 

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