"People are reducing their market exposure in the short term to wait and see what happens in the reporting season."
Miners also added to the losses, with BHP Group and Fortescue Metals Group ending 0.9 per cent and 0.4 per cent down. Safe haven gold stocks gained over 2 per cent as the market's uncertainty encouraged risk aversion. Newcrest Mining and Northern Star Resources advanced 2.3 per cent and 1.3 per cent, respectively.