The share market is slightly lower as weakness in financial and industrial stocks offsets a comeback by the resources sector.
The local market had defied a positive lead from the US, where both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 finished at fresh record highs, IG Market strategist Stan Shamu said.
“Overall, it just seems like sentiment just remains very benign, no real catalyst to drive us higher,” he said.
The market has fallen in its last four sessions, due mainly to the impact of falling commodity prices, particularly iron ore, on the miners.
On Friday the resources sector was generally higher, with BHP Billiton up 20 cents at $32.00, Rio Tinto up 57 cents at $56.98 and Fortescue Metals nine cents higher at $2.73.
Energy stocks were also higher, with Oil Search up 27 cents at $8.45, Santos up 24 cents at $11.93 and Woodside 22.5 cents stronger at $38.675.
The big banks were mostly lower, with Commonwealth Bank down nine cents at $80.25, ANZ down eight cents at $31.86 and Westpac 20 cents weaker at $32.33.
National Australia Bank gained 17 cents to $32.33 after its US subsidiary Great Western Bancorp lifted full year profit nine per cent.
Elsewhere, Coles owner Wesfarmers was down 31 cents at $41.79, while Woolworths had gained 34 cents to $31.64.
KEY FACTS
* At 1210 AEDT on Friday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 2.9 points, or 0.05 per cent, at 5,313.3 points.
* The broader All Ordinaries index was down 2.1 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 5,330.4 points.
* The December share price index futures contract was five points higher at 5,322 points, with 16,063 contracts traded.
* National turnover was 880 million securities worth $1.93 billion.
