Banks drag ASX 200 ahead of inflation data; Woolworths drops on lower outlook
Oct 30 (Reuters) -Australian shares slipped on Wednesday, with banks leading the losses ahead of local inflation data, while supermarket giant Woolworths emerged as one of the major drags in the benchmark after flagging lower profit for the first half of the year.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was down 0.2% at 8,230.4 points, as of 2329 GMT. The benchmark closed 0.3% higher on Tuesday.
Traders await data to check if inflation came within the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) target range of 2% to 3% in the third quarter, in order to assess the near-term interest rate trajectory.
RBA's Assistant Governor Sarah Hunter said earlier this month that the central bank is not concerned that inflation expectations could become de-anchored in the near term, although policymakers remain alert to the risk.
On the benchmark, local miners .AXMM were the biggest percentage gainers, rising 1.3%, even as iron ore prices faltered on uncertainty surrounding top consumer China's plans for fiscal stimulus measures. IRONORE/
Mining giants Rio Tinto RIO.AX, BHP Group BHP.AX and Fortescue FMG.AX rose between 1.2% and 1.5%.
Australian technology stocks .AXIJ tracked an overnight surge in Nasdaq .IXIC with a 0.4% jump.
Tech giants Xero XRO.AX and WiseTech Global WTC.AX dipped 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively.
Rate-sensitive banking stocks .AXFJ declined 0.4% ahead of the inflation print, with the "Big Four" banks falling as much as 0.4%.
Energy stocks .AXEJ retreated 0.3% after oil prices settled lower on report of talks to end the Lebanon war. O/R
Energy giant Woodside Energy WDS.AX was up 0.3%, while smaller rival Santos STO.AX slipped 0.6%.
In company news, Woolworths WOW.AX lowered its earnings estimates from top operation Australian Food, warning of a tough road ahead for the firm. Shares of the grocer fell as much as 6.3%.
Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 slipped 0.4% to 12,730.07.
Reporting by Shivangi Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips
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