Australian share markets witnessed a dip on Monday due to broad-based selling influenced by the mining sector’s response to a decrease in underlying commodity prices and the banking sector.
Investors exhibited caution ahead of the central bank’s upcoming interest rate decision.
The S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX:AXJO) dropped 1.2% to 7752.60 by 2356 GMT, interrupting a three-day rally.
The benchmark had previously reached a record high of 7853.10 on Friday.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is anticipated to maintain its cash rate at its current level of 4.35% in its impending monetary policy meeting on March 19.
The heavyweight mining sector (ASX:AXMM) led the losses on the benchmark, with a drop of 1.8% following dips in iron ore and copper prices on Friday.
Major mining companies, BHP (ASX:BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO), felt a loss of 2% and 1.8%, respectively.
The financial sector (ASX:AXFJ) suffered a 1.1% dip, with the ‘big four’ banks experiencing losses of between 1.1% and 1.5%.
Healthcare stocks (ASX:AXHJ) also diminished by as much as 1.9%, on track for their most significant intraday loss since Feb 13.
Sector leader CSL (ASX:CSL) dropped by 1.9% and Ramsay Health Care (ASX:RHC) lost 1%.
Energy companies (ASX:AXEJ) slipped by 1.7% subsequent to oil prices closing 1% lower on Friday.
Woodside Energy (ASX:WDS) underwent a drop of 2% while Santos (ASX:STO) encountered a decline of 1.5%.
Technology firms (ASX:AXIJ) slipped 0.8% following a decrease observed in their Wall Street associates, while gold stocks (ASX:AXGD) fell as much as 1%.
Strike Energy (ASX:STX), Bellevue Gold (ASX:BGL), and the ASX-listed shares of Arcadium Lithium (ASX:LTM) topped the losses in the benchmark with decreases of 5.7%, 5.3%, and 3.9% respectively.
In contrast, New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index fell 0.7% to 11,845.67.
Dairy giant A2 Milk was the prominent drag on the index with a 3.2% loss, whilst Skellerup lost 2.5%.
BHP (ASX:BHP), the primary focus of this report, is an international mining and metals company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia.