S&P/ASX 200 finishes 0.5% lower, iron ore miners drop, BHP, Origin fall, Newcrest books record profit

The ASX 200 closed 0.5 per cent lower, extending its losses for a fourth day in a row. Unemployment falls to 13-year low. Newcrest record profit. Treasury Wine ups dividend. Origin, S32 losses. 

Australian stocks this week have so far been relatively resilient to fall on Wall Street. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Welcome to the Trading Day blog for Thursday, August 19. The ASX closed 0.5% lower, hit by iron ore miners including BHP and Fortescue Metals. Wall Street's late selloff followed the release of Federal Reserve minutes.

On Wall Street, the Dow and the S&P 500 both dropped 1.1 per cent, while the Nasdaq was down 0.9 per cent.

Locally, earnings results showed a Newcrest record profit, Treasury Wine raised its dividend, while Evolution slashed its dividend. Origin, S32 reported losses. Reject Shop boomed.

Unemployment drops to 4.6%, participation rates fall.