The ASX 200 dropped 52 points to 8835 (0.6%) as U.S. elections soured the futures market. It was back to risk-off today, with the banks holding relatively steady, although CBA fell 0.6%, with WBC slightly firmer. MQG fell 1.7%, and other financials also slid, with the insurance sector a little mixed. REITs were also under some pressure, with GMG down 1.6% and VCX down 1.2%. Retail stocks were also suffering today, as JBH gave back some gains and ALL lost 1.3%. Tech stocks were also under pressure, with REA falling 2.6% and XRO down 0.1%. Defensives like WOW rose, as did TLS, and utilities ORG up 1.9% and APA up 0.5%.

In resources, we saw selling in the iron ore stocks, with BHP, RIO, and FMG all down around 1.5%, as the gold miners also gave up early gains, falling away with NST down 2.0% and EVN down 0.3%. Lithium and rare earth stocks continued to be pressured, but we did see 1% gains in WDS and STO, together with a steadying in the coal sector.

In corporate news, XYZ jumped 6.1% after the company beat quarterly profit expectations, and INA fell 3.8% after providing an update on the takeover battle underway, while CCX soared 13.9% on a trading update.

On the economic front, figures today from the ABS showed household spending jumping 6.8% year on year, higher than some forecasts at 6.1%.

Asian markets tumbled on the back of U.S. midterm results, with so-called data centre states flipping to the Democrats and putting pressure on Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.

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