Afternoon trading August 5

Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1, @uncleBuck, @JohnI and morning crew.

Half-time wrap:
Aussie shares roared back towards record levels as a mining rebound continued and the prospect of a September rate cut lifted Wall Street.
The ASX 200 bounced 87 points or 1%, bringing the index within touching distance of a record close this afternoon.
Gold miners shone for a second day. The domestic sub-sector firmed 2% following overnight gains in precious metals. Tech and consumer stocks were also notably strong during a rally that raised all sectors.
US stocks rebounded overnight as the odds on a September rate cut climbed above 80%, overshadowing concerns that the US employment market was losing momentum. The S&P 500 put on 1.47% during its best night since May.

Personal trading: The XJO may be on a tear, but I've landed in a clutch of shares that aren't even in the slow lane - they're parked on the hard shoulder. Traded about thruppence ha'penny worth between them all morning. Something is up with volumes these last sessions. And by "up" I mean down.

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