Australian Shares Follow Wall Street Lower

  By Robb M. Stewart 
 

MELBOURNE, Australia--Australia shares fell on Friday eroding some gains for the week on the biggest decline in U.S. stocks in five weeks and weakening commodity prices.

The S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.6% to finish at 5479.

The tone for markets across Asia was set after the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw its biggest percentage drop since April 10 after the release of disappointing economic data in Europe and soft earnings from Wal-Mart Stores.

"A concern in coming weeks will remain the resource space where the challenges just continue to mount," IG market strategist Stan Shamu said. "Iron-ore names in particular will be key for how this market trades and any sign that China concerns are easing should encourage a recovery."

Shares are vulnerable to a between 10% and 15% fall around the middle of the year with worries about China, the risk of earlier-than expected rate rises in the U.S. and the Ukraine crisis all possible triggers, AMP Capital strategist and chief economist Shane Oliver said. But, fundamentals for the market remain favorable and AMP is holding to a year-end target for the ASX 200 of 5800.

Others are less bullish.

"The majority of what I read from our competitors both global and local lately is either outright bullish or taking the glass half-full view of either data or earnings outlook. This is the complete opposite of two years ago and the complete opposite of Bell Potter's approach where we have recently downgraded many individual stock recommendations from Buy to Hold," Bell Potter Securities executive director Charlie Aitken said.

There was further buying of bonds Friday suggesting investors are switching out of equities, CMC Markets chief market strategist Michael McCarthy said. The retreat from riskier investments may be short-lived but it illustrates the dangers of trading near post-global-financial-crisis highs.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia fell 1% after a strong run in recent days that took its shares to a closing high Thursday. The stock remains up 3.3% for the year. Australia & New Zealand Banking, National Australia Bank and Westpac lost between 0.3% and 0.8% for the day.

BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto fell between 0.5% and 1.4% while Fortescue Metals Group dropped 2.6%. Gold producer Newcrest Mining lost 1%.

Shares in financial services firm IOOF rose 1.5% after it said it was offering about 621 million Australian dollars (US$581 million) for SFA Australia. SFA's shares jumped 18%.

Write to Robb M. Stewart at [e-mail]