The ASX 200 started off the week down 62 points to 8635 (0.7%). Miners bore the brunt of the selling after a stellar week last week, with BHP down 2.9% and RIO falling 2.4% on lower iron ore and copper prices.  Gold miners too in profit taking mode after solid gains on Friday. GMD fell 5.4% and NEM off 0.9%. Lithium miners were also in profit taking mode as PLS fell 3.9% and LTR off 6.4%. Uranium stocks dropped hard as the AI trade in the US was called into question again, and thus the energy trade. NXG fell 4.5% and PDN down 4.7% with BOE off 8.2%. The banks were relatively calm as CBA fell 0.6% with the other three higher. The Big Bank Basket eased to $272.41 (-0.1%). Other financials eased, ASX under pressure following the ASIC reforms, GQG up 1.1% and SOL falling 1.2%. Insurers were generally better. Healthcare mixed as CSL stumbled 2.5% lower, TLX falling another 4.2%. REITs mixed, industrials mixed too. TLS down 0.8% and TPG up 1.8% with tech trying to find a base, WTC down 0.7% and XRO up 0.6%. The All-Tech Index up 0.04%. Retailers also found some bargain hunters, JBH up 2.3% and APE recovering 1.0%. 

In corporate news, TWE in a trading halt pending outlook statement. EOS jumped 28.9% on an US$80m order from South Korea. 4DX rose 9.9% on news of approvals in Canada. WGX announced plans to spin off non-core assets and FMG announced plans to buy the remaining shares in Alta Copper. 

Nothing locally on the economic front but Japanese factory sentiment improved opening the way to a rate rise this week. China announced its weakest retail numbers since Covid. 

Asian markets eased on US falls, Japan down 1.4%, HK down 0.9% and China off 0.2%.

US futures were better, Dow up 160 and Nasdaq up 52.

10-year yields steady at 4.72%.

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