Australian share prices closed down 0.40 percent on Friday, with jitters on Wall Street driving down financial stocks, dealers said. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 sank 14 points to 3,466.2, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 11.4 points to 3,405.4. Turnover was two billion shares worth 4.4 billion dollars (three billion US) with 432 stocks up, 464 down and 265 flat.
ANZ Banking Group slumped 1.42 percent to 14.55, National Australia Bank fell 1.95 percent to 19.12, Westpac was off 0.16 percent to 18.17 and Commonwealth was flat at 34 dollars.
Major miner Rio Tinto ended a run of negative sessions over doubts about its 19.5 billion US deal with Chinas Chinalco, lifting 2.99 percent to 46.85. Among energy stocks Woodside Petroleum found 1.22 percent to 37.42, while Santos put on 0.98 percent to 15.50 on soaring crude oil prices.