ASX 200 closed down 23 points at 7727 (0.3%). Sloppy quiet markets across the board with banks down modestly. The Big Bank Basket unchanged at $207.93. ANZ fell 0.7% with MQG falling 0.1% and insurers down on lower yields, QBE off 1.3% and SUN off 1.3%. REITs dropped led by GMG down 0.8 % with SCG off 1.0% with VCX falling 0.8%. Industrials weaker but no real damage, TCL down 1.8% with COL off 1.2% and SVW down 3.1% as it increased its BLD shareholding to close to 92%. ALX saw IFM lift its holding to 26%. Tech stocks eased with the All-Tech Index down 0.5%. Resources slipped with BHP off 0.2% as Anglo knocked back the latest approach, FMG down 0.9% with gold miners weaker, NST off 1.2%. Oil and gas stocks lower and uranium shares easing back. In corporate news, GUD rose 12.2% on a late trading update yesterday. HLS up 4.7% on refinancing news and a lower debt facility. On the economic front, not much here ahead of the well-leaked budget. Asian markets slightly lower with Japan up 0.1%, HK and China pretty much unchanged.
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