The ASX fell 76 points to close at 7333 (1.0%) after trying valiantly to rally at lunch, giving up the ghost as the US futures markets turned south. Banks weighed heavily with CBA down 1.5% NAB off 1.2% and MQG falling 3.7% in sympathy with Goldman Sachs. The Big Bank Basket fell to $178.20. Insurers were relatively unchanged despite 10-year yields hitting 2%. Fund managers also on the nose with MFG down 0.9%, PNI down 4.1% and ASX off 2.1%. Healthcare in casualty as CSL fell below the SPP price down 1.2%, RHC down 1.8%, RMD off 4.4% and FPH down 3.1%. 

Industrials also falling although less aggressively. WES fell 1.0%, TLS down 1.6%, TCL off 1.5% and RWC down 4.0%. Tech falling again as Nasdaq fell hard, APT down 2.2%, XRO down 2.4% and the All-Tech Index off 1.7%. MP1 was a casualty today of a business update crashing 16.2%. Miners staggered as lithium ran out of puff, PLS down 3.9%, AKE down 6.9% on a broker, iron ore miners were off with FMG falling 1.5% and BHP hanging in ahead of the crucial vote. Energy stocks rallying hard as the oil price continues to hold firm. STO up 1.8% and WPL up 0.9%. 

In corporate news, BRN announced a US patent rising 14.5%, HUB up 2.1% on a FUM update. In economic news, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell by 2.0% to 102.2 in January from 104.3 in December. Asian markets weaker with Japan down 2.4%, HK managed to stay flat and China off 0.6%.

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