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Australian shares end lower as inflation warnings cloud rate-cut bets

Australian shares closed lower in controlled trade on Wednesday, took down by losses in heavyweight financials, as investors called back their expectations on rate cuts after the reserve bank stressed the requirement to be vigilant on inflation.

The S&P/ ASX 200 index was down 0.1% at 7,769.7 points at the close of trade. The benchmark ended 1% higher on Tuesday.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept its rate of interest stable on Tuesday, but reiterated it was open to walkings in the future due to sticky inflation, triggering investors to scale back their rate-cut probabilities.

The hawkish hold from the RBA has seen a little possibility of a. rate hike factored-in for the Aug/Sept meetings and beyond that,. rate cuts are being pushed even more into the future, Westpac. analysts wrote in a note.

Brad Smoling, handling director at Smoling Stockbroking, is. of the view that the RBA's choice to stand pat on interest. rates will put a great deal of pressure on banks, financials and. noted home business.

Market participants now do not expect a rate cut up until April. next year. Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the. country's top bank, expects the reducing cycle to begin in. November, while smaller sized peer ANZ moved its. expectations of a very first rate cut to next February from November. 2024.

On the bourse, monetary stocks, which are delicate. to the rate cycle, dropped 0.4%, with three of the Big Four. banks down between 0.4% and 0.6%.

Shares of National Australia Bank were up 0.4%.

QBE Insurance touched a three-week low after the. basic insurance company said it would close its having a hard time The United States and Canada. middle-market sector at a $100 million before tax expense.

Miners closed flat, while gold companies were up. 1.1% as bullion prices edged higher as U.S. rate-cut bets. burnished bullion's appeal.

Energy stocks advanced almost 1%, buoyed by constant. oil prices amidst intensifying disputes in Europe and the Middle. East.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/ NZX 50 index ended 0.8%. lower, after slipping to a 12-session low of 11,648.4 points. previously in the day.

(source: Reuters)