Half-time wrap:
The share market retreated this morning as poorly-received trading updates from James Hardie and Sonic Healthcare compounded mild selling pressure from the heavily-weighted financial and material sectors.
The ASX 200 eased 20 points or 0.25% by the halfway mark. James Hardie slumped 10.01% following a weak trading outlook. Sonic Healthcare shed 5.94% after inflationary pressures prompted a profit warning.
The minutes from this month's Reserve Bank policy meeting showed policy-makers considered raising the cash rate target before deciding to leave it unchanged at 4.35%, in part "to avoid excessive fine-tuning".
"Members agreed that it was difficult either to rule in or rule out future changes in the cash rate target," the minutes noted.
US stocks finished mixed overnight as a tech rally boosted the Nasdaq and succession worries at JPMorgan weighed on the Dow. The S&P 500 finished little changed, up 0.04%.
Personal trading: Didn't manage to get into any of the fast cars this morning, so settled for buying pullbacks in CVV, BLG and BUR.
