The S&P/ASX 200 finished 0.2% lower at 9,019 on Friday, after pausing in the previous session, as profit-taking in financials and gold stocks weighed on the index, while investors turned cautious ahead of local and US inflation data. Markets focused on Australia’s third-quarter inflation report due next week, seen as key for the Reserve Bank’s policy outlook, while the US September CPI, released later in the day, was eyed for clues on the Federal Reserve’s next moves. On the corporate side, financials fell 0.5%, with three of the Big Four banks closing lower, led by a 1% drop in ANZ Group. Gold miners also declined 1.6%, extending their weekly loss to about 9%, the steepest since July 2022, as investors locked in gains after a strong rally. Sector giant Newmont slid 4.4% after flagging lower fourth-quarter cash flow due to higher spending. For the week, the benchmark index ended 0.3% higher, marking its second straight weekly gain.
