Australian shares plunge 1% as rate-hike concerns persist
July 30 (Reuters) -Australian shares dropped more than 1% on Tuesday amid broad-based selling, with banks and commodities leading the losses, while investors remained nervous about whether the economy can weather tighter monetary conditions at home.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was down 1.1% at 7,901.5 points, as of 0023 GMT. The benchmark closed 0.9% higher on Monday.
Australia's June-quarter consumer price data is due on Wednesday. Inflation is likely to have accelerated to 3.8% from 3.6% in the prior quarter, fuelling concerns the Reserve Bank of Australia could hike interest rates when it meets on Aug. 6.
Banks .AXFJ lost 1.1% and were the top losers in the benchmark index on fears of a potential rate hike. Shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia CBA.AX, the country's largest lender, dropped nearly 1%.
Miners .AXMM slumped 1.8% with sector majors BHP Group BHP.AX, Rio Tinto RIO.AX and Fortescue FMG.AX dropping 1.4%, 1.1% and 8.8%, respectively.
BHP and Canadian miner Lundin Mining LUN.TO announced plans to take over copper miner Filo Corp FIL.TO for $3.25 billion.
Chinese iron ore futures DCIOcv1 on the Dalian Commodity Exchange edged 0.1% lower.
Energy companies .AXEJ were trading 0.9% lower following a slump in global oil prices. Shares of Woodside WDS.AX and Santos STO.AX dropped 1.1% and 1%, respectively. Brent crude LCOc1 futures fell 0.2% to $79.60 a barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 lost 0.24%.
Australian gold stocks .AXGD dropped 1.2% as bullion prices XAU= were trading 0.1% lower at $2,381.20.
The U.S. S&P 500 index .SPX and the Nasdaq .IXIC were mostly flat on Monday. S&P 500 E-minis futures EScv1 were down 14 points. U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 0.12% at 40,539.93 points.
The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR rose to 4.1783%, compared with its U.S. close of 4.178%.
The Aussie dollar was trading 0.06% stronger against the greenback at A$0.65 on Tuesday.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 jumped 0.6% to 12,392.6 points.
Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips
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