BHP, CSL, Woodside weigh on ASX

ASX 200 closes down 0.1%. CSL, BHP, Woodside shares lower. Domino's Pizza up 7%. Qantas makes jabs mandatory for workers.

The ASX finished Tuesday at its lowest level in two weeks. Picture: AAP

Welcome to the Trading Day blog for Wednesday, August 18. The ASX 200 turned higher after an early dip at the open, but ended the day down 0.1% at a fresh two-week low of 7502.1, making the first 3-day fall since mid-May and third 3-day fall this year.

Markets overseas retreated overnight on worries the resurgent Delta variant will put the brakes on the global economic recovery. The Dow lost 0.8 per cent, the S&P 500 fell 0.7 per cent and the Nasdaq slipped 0.9 per cent.

Locally, it has been a busy day for earnings. Vaccines have boosted CSL profit, Woodside lifted profit and dividend, Tabcorp was back in the black. Lockdowns hit Coles' results. Domino's lifted profit and dividend, and shares rose as much as 8%. Qantas is making Covid jabs mandatory for workers. 

RBNZ left its official cash rate at a record low of 25bps. Wages data was disappointing, slumping to one of the slowest rates in history.

Originally published as BHP, CSL, Woodside weigh on ASX