Half-time wrap:
The share market slid towards a second straight loss after the Nasdaq continued one of its worst starts to a new year on record.
The ASX 200 dropped 18 points or 0.24% by mid-session. Gold miners, supermarkets, banks and spec stocks took some of the biggest hits. A rebound in crude prices lifted the energy sector. Industrials also bucked the downtrend.
US stocks fell for a second night after the minutes from last month's Federal Reserve meeting did little to ally concerns financial markets have factored in an earlier start to rate cuts than justified.
The Nasdaq once again led the selling, falling 1.18% a day after losing 1.63%. This is only the third time the Nasdaq has started the year with back-to-back losses of more than 1%, according to Bespoke Investment Group. The other years were 1980 and 2005. The broader S&P 500 lost 0.8%.
Personal trading: Bought retraces in KAU, GPR and OJC.
