The ASX 200 finished the month up 56 points to 8126 (+0.7%), giving us a 3.7% rise for the month. Hard to believe really. A 14% rally off the lows. CPI today came in slightly higher than some expected, but clears the way for a rate cut next week. Banks celebrated with CBA pushing 2.2% higher, NAB up 0.5% and the Big Bank Basket up to $265.43 (+1.6%). Other financials were a little mixed. MQG fell 0.5%. Insurers better, SUN up 2.3%. REITs also going well. GMG up 1.9% and SGP up 1.3%. Industrials firmed with retail again doing better, JBH up 0.7% and WES up 1.6%. COL reported today and eased 0.8%. BXB starting to find support. ALL up 1.9% and Tech doing ok, WTC up 1.0% and the Index up 1.2%.

Resources took a breather today as the shorts backed off on the buying. Uranium stocks fell back a little as did gold miners. NST still suffering from soft quarterly, down another 3.5%. FMG gave back some of yesterday’s gains, down 1.1%, and S32 fell 1.1%. BHP and RIO were relatively steady. Lithium stocks slipped a little, PLS down 2.3% and MIN unchanged after the big rally yesterday. JHX finding support, up 1.2%.

In corporate news, plenty of quarterlies. ORG fell 1.4% on its weaker quarterly. SGR unchanged despite news that losses increased.

On the economic front, the local CPI came in at 0.9% and 2.4% for the year, giving the RBA a reason to be cheerful. Meanwhile in China, factory activity fell. No surprise there really. Asian markets were firm. 10 -year yields slipped to 4.13%. Dow futures flat, NASDAQ futures down 0.4%

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