End of Day Report – Tuesday 18 November: ASX 200 drops nearly 2% | TNE down over 17%

A nasty start to the day accelerated to a loss of 167 points (-1.9%) on the ASX 200 as RBA minutes and US futures took us down. The big three sectors were hit hard with the iron ore miners smacked. BHP off 3.7% on UK court ruling and RIO off 2.7% with FMG falling 2.0%. Energy stocks also slipped, WDS down 1.9% with STO off 0.6% and uranium stocks under pressure. Gold miners too sold off as bullion slipped, NST down 5.6% and EVN down 5.2% with lithium the only sector that saw any green. PLS up 3.3% and LTR up 2.1%. Banks were also sold down hard, WBC fell 3.0% and CBA down 1.7% with the Big Bank Basket falling to $267.54 (-1.8%). Financials also in the seller’s sights, NWL fell 6.2% and MQG off 1.7%. Insurers fell, QBE down 1.4% and REITS under pressure too. GMG off 3.0% as a tech play on data centres. Industrials saw across the board selling, WES fell 1.2% and REA off 2.4% with CAR falling 3.2% as TLS down 0.2%. Tech stocks were decimated after TNE disappointed, off 17.2% despite a special dividend. WTC fell 4.6% and XRO tumbled 3.3% with the All-Tech Index down 4.3%. In corporate news, JHX rallied 9.9% on better-than-expected results, AGM’s dominated. BSL fell 1.7% on EBIT to land at the bottom of guidance range. CAT tested a life with a 11.7% fall on a growth rate of 19%. ALQ fell 2.9% on better numbers. PLT was a rare bright spot after a jump in first half profits, up 6.8%. On the economic front, RBA minutes took rate cuts off the table. Australian consumer confidence rose 0.7% too.  Asian markets weaker with Japan down 2.9%, China down 0.3% and HK off 1.6%.European markets set to open weaker.Want to invest with Marcus Today? Our MT20 portfolio is designed for investors seeking exposure to our strategy while we do the hard work for you.If you’re looking for personal financial advice, our friends at Clime Investment Management can help. Their team of licensed advisers operates across most states, offering tailored financial planning services.  Why not sign up for a free trial? Gain access to expert insights, research, and analysis to become a better investor.