News: XGD Australian shares edge lower; eyes on RBA's rate decision

	  Gold stock see worst day in 10 weeks 

	  Financials slip after 8-day day winning streak 

	  Newcrest slumps after potential buyer Newmont's weak Q2 

(Updates to close)

Australian shares ticked lower on Friday led by declines in gold and technology stocks, even as June employment data fuelled concerns that the country's central bank may opt to hike rates next month.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) fell 0.2% at 7,313.9. Focus now shifts to second quarter inflation data due on July 26, expected to play a key role in the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) monetary decision next month.

Analysts at ANZ Group said in a note they expect both headline and trimmed mean inflation to moderate in the second quarter.

"If the RBA saw July's pause as a fine balance, then surely the strong employment report points to a hike in August, especially if trimmed mean inflation fails to moderate fast enough in next week's report," said City Index's Matt Simpson.

On the domestic bourse, gold stocks .AXGD slumped 3.1%, logging their worst weekly performance since Sept. 16.

Shares of Newcrest Mining (NCM) declined 5.3% and marked its worst intraday fall in nearly 10 months after its takeover suitor Newmont Corp NEM.N overnight reported weaker-than-expected second quarter profit.

Northern Star Resources (NST) fell 0.8%. Technology stocks .AXIJ fell 2.7%, tracking an overnight decline on the Wall Street. The sub-index marked its worst session in 4 weeks.

Heavyweights Xero (XRO) and ASX-listed shares of Block (SQ2) dropped 3.9% and 2.1%, respectively.

Banks .AXFJ snapped an 8-session winning streak and dropped by 0.5%. The so-called "Big Four" banks gave up between 0.1% and 0.8%.

Energy stocks .AXEJ , meanwhile, ticked up 1.3% tracking higher oil prices as markets assess falling inventories in the U.S. as well as potential stimulus measures from China.

Woodside Energy (WDS) jumped 1.5% while Santos (STO) inched up 1.2%.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) slipped 0.1% to finish the session at 11,940.44.