Australia stock market today: ASX 200 ends flat as Rio Tinto sinks on Glencore talks
Australian shares closed nearly flat Friday as Rio Tinto fell 6.2% and Codan surged 16.8% on a strong trading update. Merger talks between Rio and Glencore drew scrutiny, with analysts warning of political and valuation hurdles. Energy stocks rose, financials slipped. The S&P/ASX 200 ended down 0.03%.