End of Day Report – Monday 18 May: ASX 200 sinks 126 as bond yields rise and commodities fall

The ASX 200 fell 126 points to 8,505 (-1.5%) today in a dismal start to the week. Thankfully, the banking sector held up relatively well, with CBA posting a 1% rise, while insurers also performed strongly on the back of higher bond yields. The Big Bank Basket rose to $267.83 (+0.3%). Other financials did not fare as well, with MQG falling 2.6%, HUB down 1.1%, and the REIT sector also under pressure, with GMG down 4.0% and CHC off 3.5%.

Industrials were weaker across the board, with the healthcare sector hit again. CSL fell 1.8% and RMD dropped 0.5%. A couple of poor results this morning set the tone for further weakness in industrials, with SGH down 2.9% and BXB falling 20.2% on a downgrade to earnings, as pallet repair apparently became a thing. The tech space was mixed, with XRO falling 2.0%, although WTC rose slightly, helping the All-Tech Index finish marginally lower.

The real damage today came from the resources sector as iron ore stocks reversed and copper prices came under pressure. BHP fell 2.8% and RIO dropped 3.6% as sentiment towards bulk miners deteriorated.

Gold miners were also under pressure as bullion prices eased, even while the oil price rose. NST fell 2.4%, while EVN suffered the double whammy of weaker gold and copper prices. Oil and gas stocks were inevitably firmer as crude prices pushed higher. WDS rose 2.9%, while STO gained a similar amount. Uranium stocks slipped again, with PDN down 2.5% and BOE off 3.8%.

In corporate news, three major stories stood out. TUA dropped an astonishing 62.8% following issues in Singapore relating to its spectrum licences. ELD also came under pressure, down 22.9%, as higher diesel prices and a messy result hurt sentiment. Meanwhile, the downgrade from BXB simply added to today’s misery. Down 20.8%

There was little on the economic front today, although all eyes remain firmly fixed on bond markets as inflation fears continue to build.

 Asian markets drop hard, Japan down 0.7%, HK off 1.1%, China down 0.6% Kospi bouncing 

US futures lower with Dow down 386 Nasdaq down 192.  European futures opening around 1% lower. Oil up over 1.2%.

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