The Australian sharemarket extended its losses by Thursday lunchtime, with financial and health stocks weighing on the index, but gold miners continued to rise.

The S&P/ASX 200 was 31.3 points, or 0.4 per cent, lower at 8799.1 at 12.36pm AEST, with six of 11 industry sectors in the red. The Australian dollar was fetching US66.10¢ at 12.44pm AEST.

Wall Street’s benchmark index is on its way to another record close. Credit: Bloomberg

Financial stocks lost ground, with NAB sinking 1.2 per cent, Westpac falling 0.9 per cent, ANZ down 1.1 per cent and the Commonwealth Bank shedding 0.7 per cent.

Mining stocks were mixed, with iron ore heavyweights BHP down 0.4 per cent, Rio Tinto slipping 0.1 per cent and Fortescue up 0.2 per cent. Gold miners jumped after the price of the safe-haven co

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