S&P/ASX 200 drops 2.25% to fall below 6000 and wipes out August's gains

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) has hit a one-month low and is back below the key 6,000 point mark at 5,924 by around 1.20 pm after dropping 2.25%. All sectors are in the red, with banks, energy stocks, tech and property trusts declining by more than 2%. Australian property prices fall Home prices fell by 0.4% in August, making it the fourth straight month of declines for the index. Melbourne home values fell most, down 1.2% in August, due to the severe Stage 4 restrictions. Around the world China's factory activity expanded at the fastest rate in nearly a decade in August, helped by the first increase in new export orders this year as manufacturers ramped up production to meet rebounding demand. Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 53.1 last month from July's 52.8, marking the sector's fourth consecutive month of expansion and the biggest rate of growth since January 2011. Meanwhile, New Zealand continues to be targeted by hackers with the NZ stock exchange crashing again today. COVID-19 update Thirteen new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in NSW in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 3,874. 70 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths were recorded in Victoria, continuing a downward trend in the state. India is rapidly becoming the world's new COVID-19 epicentre, setting a record for the biggest single-day rise in cases as experts predict that it'll soon pass Brazil, and ultimately the US, as the worst outbreak globally. As many as 78,761 new cases were added on Sunday, the most reported in one day in any country, while 971 deaths were reported on Monday. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) (+8.05%), High Peak Royalties Ltd (ASX:HPR) (+12.96%), Cauldron Energy Ltd (ASX:CXU) (+16.13%), Oakdale Resources Ltd (ASX:OAR) (+33.33%) and Polarx Ltd (ASX:PXX) (+9.09%). Proactive news headlines: VIP Gloves sets stage for growth with 17% revenue increase and 102% rise in profit VIP Gloves Ltd (ASX:VIP) is demonstrating the benefits of increasing personal protection equipment (PPE) use with revenues during FY20 up by 17.1% to more than $13.696 million and profit for the year, after-tax, up 102.4% to $116,056. Technology Metals Australia granted mining leases for Gabanintha Vanadium Project Technology Metals Australia Limited (ASX:TMT) has been granted Mining Leases M51/883 (Northern Block) and M51/884 (Southern Tenement) within its Gabanintha Vanadium Project in WA. Eclipse Metals to complete ground magnetometer survey ahead of drilling at Amamoor Manganese Project Eclipse Metals Ltd (ASX:EPM) has scheduled a detailed ground magnetometer to be completed ahead of stage two drilling at the Amamoor Manganese Project in southeast Queensland. Kin Mining's new high-grade Helen East discovery further enhances golden potential at Cardinia Kin Mining NL (ASX:KIN) has received shallow and wide high-grade gold results from Helens East prospect with this new discovery enhancing the potential of the Cardinia Gold Project (CGP) near Leonora in Western Australia. engage:BDR reaches key milestones on or before schedule and grows revenue 31.5% in H1 2020 engage:BDR Ltd (ASX:EN1) grew revenue by 31.5% to $8.1 million for the first half of 2020 from $6.1 million in 2019, with the company achieving 95% of milestones on or before schedule despite COVID-19. eSense-Lab receives Israeli Ministry of Health approval to test TRP-ENV compounds on coronavirus strain eSense-Lab Ltd (ASX:ESE) has received approval from Israel's Ministry of Health for a joint research project at the Central Virology lab in Chaim Sheba Medical Centre for testing its proprietary TRP-ENVTM compound for efficacy against the OC43 human coronavirus strain. YPB Group improves net operating loss 52% in H1 2020 as growth takes shape YPB Group Ltd’s (ASX:YPB) financial performance improved strongly in the first half of 2020 with net operating loss reduced by $1.9 million or 52% compared to the corresponding period in 2019. Linius Technologies expects to see revenues from business solutions in four to six weeks Linius Technologies Limited’s (ASX:LNU) (OTCMKTS:LNNTF) business solutions, which are readily repeatable across large markets, are expected to start delivering revenue to the company in late September and early October.