Trading Day: ASX held down by US futures, Origin dives

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 share index closed down 0.4% to 7392.6 as Amazon weighed on US futures and Asian equities, plunging iron ore prices hit miners and Origin dived on hefty writedowns.

Markets have been encouraged by positive signs for the US economic recovery. Picture: AAP

That's all from the Trading Day blog for Friday, July 30. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 0.4% as Amazon hit US futures and Asian markets, plunging iron ore prices knocked iron ore miners and Origin flagged a $2.25bn writedown. NAB was supported by news of a $2.5bn buyback, equivalent to about 2.9% of its shares.

On Wall Street, the Dow and S&P 500 both gained 0.4 per cent, while the Nasdaq edged up 0.1 percent. European markets also rose, boosted by corporate earnings and the US Fed’s latest economic outlook.

Originally published as Trading Day: ASX held down by US futures, Origin dives

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