Afternoon trading January 24

Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1, @Patterns and morning crew.

Half-time wrap:

A rebound in mining stocks and a record high for US stocks helped limit ASX losses as a three-day win run came under threat.

The ASX 200 gave up early gains to reach mid-session eight points or 0.11% lower. Declines in tech stocks, healthcare providers and the big banks dragged the index off its morning peak.

Optimism over Chinese stimulus measures fuelled gains in iron ore and industrial metals overnight, which in turn lifted the domestic materials sector 1.2%. Iluka Resources and Sayona Mining were the standouts. South32, Fortescue Metals and Newmont were the best of the heavyweights.

US stocks finished mixed but mostly higher overnight as investors digested a mixed bag of Q4 earnings. The S&P 500 edged up 0.29% to a third straight record close. The Dow eased 0.25% as earnings misses from 3M and Johnson & Johnson outweighed results from Verizon and Procter & Gamble.


Personal trading: Got something from BLU, but my head wasn't really in the game this morning. Found out I am being whisked off to South Australia for the long weekend - woo-hoo! But that means I won't be around tomorrow to open threads here tomorrow. Any chance the superb crew that looked after things earlier this month might be available for the day? That's @speckledjim1, @just browsing and @RubyRuby01.