Day traders' after-market lounge January 17

Thanks afternoon crew.

End-of-day summary:

Aussie shares declined for a fourth session as investors digested a mixed bag of Chinese economic data and further signs that interest rates may not fall as quickly as the market has priced in.

The ASX 200 dropped 22 points or 0.29% to 7393. Resource and property stocks spearheaded the retreat. The utilities, tech and healthcare sectors weathered the sinking tide best.

Local losses deepened with an afternoon sell-off in US stock futures. S&P 500 futures faded 0.2% by the Australian close. The US share benchmark shed 0.37% last night after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller warned the central bank would "move carefully and methodically" on interest rates despite the market pricing in a cut in March.

Hong Kong and Chinese mainland stocks sold off after China's last GDP reading of 2023 came in broadly in line with expectations, but other figures fell short of expectations. New home prices fell for a sixth straight month, retail sales grew less than economists predicted and unemployment ticked higher.