Australian financial and energy companies kept pressure on a local stock market that faltered following stronger-than-expected monthly jobs numbers.

The S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.3% to settle at 6833.1. That pared the index’s advance so far this week to 1.4%.

National Australia Bank lost 1.1% to lead losses for the four biggest banks, and insurers IAG and Medibank each dropped more than 2.0%. Only the industrials, utilities and property sectors managed modest gains for the day, while Village Roadshow rallied 22% after receiving a private-equity takeover offer.

Gold futures marked their highest settlement in more than two weeks in the wake of President Donald Trump’s impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gold for February delivery on Comex climbed by $5.70, or 0.4%, to settle at $1,484.40 an ounce.

Oil futures settled higher, with U.S. prices posting their highest finish since mid-September a day after data revealed a weekly fall in domestic crude supplies.

January West Texas Intermediate oil rose 29 cents, or 0.5%, to end at $61.22 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange

The dollar rose against the British pound after disappointing retail sales data in the U.K., while the euro gained. The dollar has declined recently against a backdrop of improved sentiment about global trade and as the Fed has signaled that it is unlikely to raise rates, with some investors speculating that the next move could be a cut, perhaps as soon as next year.

European stocks traded mostly higher as investors shrugged off the impeachment of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Stoxx Europe 600 and the CAC-40 both gained 0.2% and the FTSE 100 ticked up 0.4%, as the pound weakened 0.5% against the euro and 0.4% versus the dollar, though the DAX fell 0.08%.

Japanese shares ended lower, weighed by brokerages amid sluggish trading, as investors looked for fresh drivers.

Nomura Holdings fell 2.6% and Daiwa Securities declined 1.2%, with the Nikkei Stock Average closing 0.3% lower at 23864.85. With seven sessions left in 2019, trading volume in Japan so far this year has dropped 21% from 2018. The Bank of Japan earlier stood pat on policy as expected.

Korea’s benchmark Kopsi index rose 0.1% to 2196.56 amid largely flattish Asian equities as investors looked for fresh drivers. The index opened 0.2% higher on the back of rising tech stocks, but soon retreated as investors sold large-cap stocks.

Hong Kong stocks closed lower amid seasonally muted trading activity and a lack of clear drivers. The Hang Seng Index ended 0.3% lower at 27800.49.