nov 24 reuters  australian shares inched lower on wednesday dragged down by technology and gold stocks as rising treasury yields sparked a panic selloff of the bullion and some big us tech names the spasx 200 index axjo fell 02 to 73951 by 0039 gmt the benchmark index closed up 08 on tuesday gold stocks axgd fell 17 after the price of the safehaven asset dropped to a near threeweek low as the renomination of us federal reserve chair jerome powell fuelled bets of faster interest rate hikes gold miners westgold resources wgxax led losses in the sector dropping as much as 38 while heavyweight newcrest mining ncmax fell 22 tech stocks axij also dropped 11 tracking the wall street where the rising treasury yields prompted investors to sell tesla and other big tech names and buy stocks with lower valuations software maker technologyone ltd tneax was the top loser on the subindex tracking its worst day in since may 2021 after brokerage jefferies cut rating on the stock bucking the trend domestic energy stocks axej rose 15 buoyed by a 3 jump in oil prices to a oneweek high after a move by the united states and other consumer nations to release tens of millions of barrels of oil from reserves to try to cool the market fell short of some expectations woodside petroleum wplax was the top boost to the subindex rising 28 while smaller rivals santos stoax and oil search oshax added 24 and 19 respectively australian shareholder registry firm link administration holdings lnkax was the top gainer on the benchmark a day after it received a new unsolicited proposal from irelandbased lc financial holdings lcfh to buy its banking and credit management bcm business read more new zealands benchmark spnzx 50 index nz50 was largely unchanged at 1268729 reporting by indranil sarkar in bengaluru editing by rashmi aich