Australian shares fall 1% in broad sell-off; Macquarie declines on profit miss
Nov 1 (Reuters) -Australian shares declined 1% on Friday, with broad losses across most sectors, as investors weighed in the implications of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election as well as central bank monetary policy decisions next week.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO retreated 1% to 8,082.6 points by 2325 GMT. The benchmark declined more than 1% in October.
Shares of financial conglomerate Macquarie MQG.AX retreated up to 4.5% to hit their lowest level since early September, after its first-half earnings fell short of market expectations reflecting subdued volatility in energy markets.
Global investors are wary of the U.S. election outcome on Tuesday, with opinion polls suggesting Republican candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris are neck and neck in the highly anticipated race to the White House.
Interest rate decisions from the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of Australia are also due next week.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points, while the RBA is expected to keep its policy rates steady.
Sticky core inflation data from Australia earlier in the week reinforced expectations that the central bank, which lags its peers in starting its monetary easing cycle, will delay its rate cuts.
Next week would also stage earning releases from top Australian banks, where they are expected to report lower annual earnings, with investors focused on whether intense competition in lending and the rising costs of deposits will outweigh gains in mortgage revenues.
In Sydney, gold stocks .AXGD declined 2.3% to hit their lowest level in 2-weeks after gold prices fell from their record peak. GOL/
Heavyweight mining .AXMM and financial stocks .AXFJ declined more than 1% respectively, with all four of the so called "big four" banks falling more than 1% each.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 retreated 0.5% to 12,568.75.
Reporting by John Biju in Bengaluru; editing by Alan Barona
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