Aussie shares drop, dragged by miners; log worst month in nearly 2-1/2 years

Australian shares took a beating on Friday, with miners being the top losing index, and ended February with their steepest decline in nearly 2-1/2 years as they wind up a mixed season of corporate earnings.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index fell 1.2% to 8,172.4 at the close of trade. The index lost 4.2% for the month, logging its worst month since September 2022.