ASX 200 Closed Below 5200 - Levels Today

• The Australian markets saw a big sell-off to $20 billions as investors booked profits in banking shares and Qantas Airlines. The late-session sell-off, which was the biggest since early August, took the ASX 200 below 5200 points for the first time since mid-October.

• The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 plunged 75.8 points, or 1.4 per cent, to 5198.0, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 70.6 points, or 1.3 per cent, to 5196.9. Today's losses wiped about $20 billion off the market's losses.

• If we talk about blue chips, the banking shares took a big plunge today. Here's what happened with banking shares today:

• ANZ: -1.8%
• CBA: -1.7%
• NAB: -2.1%
• Westpac: -2.7%

• Not only the ASX 200 but regional markets are also trading weak amid growing worries that US Federal Reserve may begin winding up its US$85 billion a month stimulus as early as this month.

• Japan (Nikkei): -0.3%
• Hong Kong: -0.35%
• Shanghai: -0.2%
• Taiwan: -0.5%
• Korea: -0.3%
• ASX200: -0.8%
• Singapore: -1%
• New Zealand: -0.5%

http://www.capitalvia.com/au/