KEY POINTS:
S&P/ASX200 -11.2 6351.1 Dow Jones -11.46 13565.84
All Ords -9.2 6383.0 S&P 500 +0.53 1525.40
SPI contract -27.0 6362.0 Nasdaq +11.7 2656.65
Gold $USoz -6.10 649.60 Nikkei -80.54 18140.94
$A/USD -.0014 0.8562 NZSE-50 -13.176 4223.529
PERTH - The Australian stock market closed in negative territory today with falls amongst the big banks, Coles and Wesfarmers dragging the market lower.
At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 11.2 points to 6351.1, while the all ordinaries dipped 9.2 points to 6383.
At 1620 AEST on the Sydney Futures Exchange, the September share price index contract was 27 points lower at 6362 on a volume of 13,976 contracts.
CMC Markets senior dealer James Foulsham said banks were lower, while Coles and Wesfarmers continue to fall after coming out of trading halt on Wednesday.
"The drop in financial stocks in the US (overnight) triggered a fall in banks following the continued rise in bond yields," Mr Foulsham said.
"This had a knock-on effect across the Australian market with all the major banks falling as they are particularly exposed to any rise in interest rates.
"Wesfarmers and Coles continued to suffer."
Overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average shed 11.46 points to 13,565.84, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 0.53 points to 1,525.4 and the Nasdaq Composite Index put on 11.70 points to 2,656.65.
Locally, the big miners were mixed, with BHP Billiton gaining 44 cents to new record close of $37.54 and rival Rio Tinto dipping 46 cents to $102.05.
Stock Move Price AMP +0.010 10.430 ANZ Bank - 29.390 BHPBilton +0.440 37.540 CBA +0.180 55.280 NAB -0.680 40.140 NewsCorp +0.560 27.280 Rio Tinto -0.460 102.050 TelstraCp -0.030 4.620 WestpacBk -0.050 26.400 Woolwrths +0.900 28.500
- AAP
