ASX 200 drops again as investors dump banks and miners

ASX 200 slips as investors watch jobs data.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having another rough session on Thursday.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down 0.47% to 8,766 points.

That leaves the benchmark on track for another disappointing session. The market is struggling to build on a more positive lead from Wall Street futures.

At the latest check, 103 ASX 200 shares are rising, while 92 are falling and 5 are unchanged.

Let's take a closer look at what's putting the index in the red.

ASX board.

Image Source: Getty Images

Banks and resources weigh on the ASX 200

The big miners are doing a fair bit of damage today as commodity prices fall across the board.

At the time of writing, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) is down 1.93% to $58.35, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) is down 2.61% to $169.38, and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) is down 1.09% to $19.04.

Energy shares are also under pressure after oil prices dropped back toward pre-war levels.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are down 3.10% to $27.37 as crude oil trades below US$70 a barrel.

Oil had rallied earlier this month on Middle East supply fears, but that support has quickly faded as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz improves.

And looking at the banks, they aren't offering much help either.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is down 3.07% to $37.56, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is down 0.59% to $35.57, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) is down 0.70% to $35.39.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is only slightly lower, down 0.03% to $164.75.

Not everything is falling

But while the heavyweights are in the red, there are still some winners on the ASX 200 today.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) is up 2.25% to $89.23, while Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is up 1.73% to $40.05.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) is also having a positive session, rising 2.91% to $118.34.

The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is 0.1% higher, helped by a solid lead from US tech futures after Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MU)'s strong update.

What investors are watching now

The jobs data has added another wrinkle to today's session.

Australia's unemployment rate fell to 4.4% in May, with employment rising by 40,300 jobs.

That's good news for the economy, but it may also keep the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cautious if the labour market stays firm.

Despite today's fall, the ASX 200 remains up about 0.6% since the start of 2026.

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Micron Technology, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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