Live: ASX 200 ends lower; Zip, Nufarm soars; wages growth 'cements' 25bp hike

Nufarm rises on solid profit. GrainCorp falls despite soaring earnings, special dividend. Zip soars 19pc for no reason. CBA falls on broker downgrades. OZ Minerals in a trading halt. Medibank justifies ransom rejection.

Geopolitical upheavals, economic and corporate updates are weighing on investor sentiment. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Welcome to the Trading Day blog for Wednesday, November 16. ASX 200 ends down. Nufarm rises on solid profit. GrainCorp falls despite soaring earnings, special dividend. Zip soars 15pc for no reason. OZ Minerals in halt over possible higher BHP bid. Medibank justifies ransom rejection.

The ASX 200 ends 0.3 per cent lower at 7122.2 points.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 closed 0.9 per cent higher, the technology-focused Nasdaq Composite Index was 1.5 per cent stronger and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2 per cent.

The gains were due to a slower increase in producer prices in October, a sign inflation is easing, and the possible reset in the China-US relationship after a meeting between US president Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Bali.

The cryptocurrency market remained on investor radars amid reports FTX’s collapse may involve up to a million customers.

US 10-year bond yields fell to 3.76 per cent and two-year yields were also lower at 4.35 per cent.

Oil prices rose with the global benchmark Brent crude about 0.8 per cent higher to $US93.86 per barrel and US Nymex 1.2 per cent stronger at $US86.92 per barrel.

The gold futures price fell to $US1776.80 an ounce while iron ore futures lifted 0.2 per cent to $US92.29 a tonne.