Equities hitting new lows on the session...>

EQUITIES: Equities hitting new lows on the session in recent trade around an

hour into cash trade. The e-mini S&P fell through the Asia-Pac lows of 3,258.50

in early trade, but the Wednesday lows of 3,227.25 are still some way away for

now.

- In the US, energy firms are leading the way lower, with consumer discretionary

and real estate also softer. Defensive healthcare, utilities and consumer

staples are the sole sectors in the green.

- Post-earnings, Citrix Systems and Allegion are the poorest performers, while

Twitter, Whirlpool and PulteGroup are at the other end of the table.

- The VIX remains lower on the week, but has bounced slightly so far today.

Overnight trade saw 23.60 printed, the joint lowest since the beginning of the

COVID crisis in late February.