Afternoon trading August 10

Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1 and morning crew. Vale Robbie Robertson, key member of one of the greatest of bands: The Band.

Half-time wrap:

A post-pandemic high in energy shares helped keep the share market in positive territory despite falls on Wall Street ahead of tonight's July US inflation report.

At the halfway mark, the ASX 200 was ahead six points or 0.08% as gains in energy, REITs and some of the miners helped offset declines in tech stocks, utilities and banks.

A 2023 overnight high in US crude helped lift the energy sector 2.1% to a level last seen in January 2020 when Covid was still a minor health issue contained to China. The sector has more than doubled in value since cratering two months later. Santos rallied 2.55% this morning. Woodside gained 1.5%.

US stocks fell away in the final hour of last night's action as investors pared their exposure to consumer inflation data with the power to dictate whether the Federal Reserve raises rates again next month. The S&P 500 dropped 0.7%

Personal trading: Needed two swings to get a profit out of ERW.