Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1 and morning crew. Half-time wrap: The...

Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1 and morning crew.

Half-time wrap:

The share market retested yesterday's lows as traders held fire ahead of this evening's Federal Budget and tomorrow night's US consumer inflation report.

At the halfway mark the ASX 200 was down 24 points or 0.31% at 7726. The index traded as low as 7722 yesterday before reversing to a skinny gain of one point.

Gains today in healthcare providers, retailers and battery metal miners were outweighed by declines in gold miners, supermarkets, property stocks and banks. BHP eased 0.16% after Anglo American rebuffed a revised takeover offer from the Australian miner.

There was little in the overnight action to encourage Australian buyers. The Dow's eight-session winning run ended with a loss of 0.21%. The broader S&P 500 finished near flat. Tech stocks lifted the Nasdaq 0.26%.


Personal trading: The hardest thing about trading right now is the lack of volume. I bought two shares yesterday and this morning they've traded once and none times. To paraphrase Spinal Tap, for a day trader none times is the saddest times of all. There's no money in none times. On a more positive note, I got something out of CGR from the low this morning. Oh and I also added another couple of low-volume shares just to demonstrate I never learn anything.