MKTS/GLOB Tech index .AXIJ was a bright spot, as it rallied 2.1% in tandem with its U.S. peers, with the sector darling Afterpay APT.AX settling 1.7% higher. Despite a blow-out monthly jobs report and the Reserve Bank of Australia pushing back rate hike expectations, CSL Ltd's CSL.AX 8.8% drop was enough to drag on the benchmark index. In contrast, Asian shares tracked Wall Street higher after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would end bond-buying stimulus in March, likely setting up three interest rate increases next year to tackle heated inflation.