Market Updates

The ASX 200 fell 124 points to 9077 (1.3%) as events in the Middle East started to catch up. Comments from Michele Bullock on rate rises didn’t help sentiment. Although the RBA is as in the dark as the rest of us in terms of implications. Across the board losses as resources saw profit taking, BHP fell 2.6% and RIO dropped 2.4%. Gold miners eased back after gains yesterday, leverage again being unwound. EVN down 4.5% and NEM off 2.0%. Rare earths and lithium fell hard, PLS dropped 6.8% and MIN off 6.1%. Oil and gas firmed, but not getting carried away. WDS up 0.8% and KAR up another 1.7%. Uranium stocks firmed too, PDN up 0.4% and coal better, WHC up 3.2% as coal prices spiked. 

Banks eased back slightly with the Big Bank Basket up modestly to $302.82 (+0.2%). MQG dropped 1.7% but MFG soared 21.9% on the Barrenjoey deal and placement. Insurers slipped but REITs hit hard as bond yields rose. GMG down 2.4% and CHC off 2.2%. Healthcare stocks fell led by CSL down 1.4% and FPH down 1.5%. WES dipped 3.6% with retail stocks falling hard on rate rise fears plus higher petrol prices. JBH down 3.2% and APE fell 5.6%. Travel stocks remain on the nose, FLT down 1.8% and WEB falling 2.0%. Tech held up relatively well, WTC off only 2.3% and XRO down 1.4% with the All-Tech Index down 2.3%.

In corporate news, TWE fell 1.7% despite the French billionaire increasing his stake. CSC fell 8.1% despite record revenue and EBITDA failing to meet expectations. 360 ditched despite a maiden annual profit. NEU sold down 8.8% on news Acadia has requested a re-examination of EU ruling.

On the economic front, consumer confidence fell 3.1pts last week.

Asian markets weaker, Japan fell 2.7%, HK off 0.1% and China up 0.2%. South Korea down 5.7%. It had a holiday yesterday!

10-year yields jump to 4.76%

US Futures down DJ off 317 pts and Nasdaq down 275.

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US equities were mostly higher in Monday trading, ending a bit off best levels. Big tech was mostly higher with NVDA the upside standout. Other outperformers included energy (crude), defense (Iran), software, banks (particularly regionals), PE, insurers, steel, rails, small-caps, and E&Cs. Laggards included airlines (fuel-price concerns), homebuilders (yields), semis, HDDs, managed care (ELV), pharma/biotech, MedTech, building products, travel/tourism, casual diners, apparel, housing-related retail, HPCs, beverages, and China tech. Treasuries came under meaningful pressure with yields up 9-10 bp at the short end of the curve. Dollar index was up 1.0%. Gold finished up 1.2%, though off best levels. Silver was down 4.8%. Bitcoin futures were up 5.8%. WTI crude settled up 6.3% and closed at its highest level since last June (though came off even higher overnight levels).

SPI down 20 - Gold up slightly - Oil up on Strait closure news.

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An interesting day as the ASX 200 closed up 2 points at 9201. A good fight back from early losses as we await the day’s action in Iran. The playbook for a conflict was back in force. Gold miners rose with NST up 4.8% and EVN rising 6.6%, base metal stocks also rose with oil and gas stocks flying high, STO up 6.7% with KAR rallying 15.2% on a broker upgrade too. Uranium stocks firmed. The big miners were solid, BHP and RIO up around 1.4% although FMG fell 3.0% as it went ex-dividend. Travel stocks fell, WEB down % and FLT off 5.7%. QAN down 5.4% although VGN rose 4.5%. Retail stocks eased back as oil price rises will take away some demand. ALL down 1.8% and JBH off 0.7%. Tech stocks were hurt, more on US tech than any war discount. WTC dropped % and XRO fell % with the All-Tech Index down 2.5%. Banks were flat with the Big Bank Basket down to $302.24 (%). Issues more with mortgage fraud and following US banks lower. MQG hit for six on US investment bank woes, Plus MFG announced a merger with Barrenjoey.  Other financials also eased back. 

In corporate news, LYC jumped 5.4% on a renewal of its Malaysian licence for another ten years. MAF dropped 2.6% after agreeing to sell Infinite Care. MFG in a halt, as it raises $130m to merge with Barrenjoey. 

In economic news, Job advertisements in Australia rose back-to-back for the first time in 16 months. 

Asian markets weaker, South Korea closed, Japan down 1.3% with airline stocks in Asia under serious pressure. HK down 1.6% and China down 0.1%

10-year yields fall to 4.64%

US Futures obviously weaker but off lows, weaker despite Nvidia results beating forecasts. 

DJ down 360 Nasdaq down 180. US crude up 5.7% at US$70. 

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The Nasdaq finished down 0.9% on Friday night. The S&P 500 0.4%. The Dow lost 521 points. The VIX rose 6.9%. Bitcoin fell back another 2%. Financials were the worst performing sector in the S&P 500. old rose 1% and US bonds rallied, both on a safe haven bid.

Events over the weekend have overtaken markets. Oil opens in an hour. NZ down 1.6%- SPI down 20 but that was before the attack.

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Another day, another record high as the ASX 200 rose 47 points to 9174 (0.5%). Banks missed the memo today, the Big Bank Basket fell to $309.01 (-0.5%) with ANZ a winner. MQG too rallied a little, up 1.2% and other financials also rallied, AMP up 3.9% and ZIP rallying another 5.4%. GQG also had a better day up 2.3% with PPT up 8.3% on results. Insurers flat. REITs better, GMG up 1.2% and SCG rising 1.9%. Industrials were better with the healthcare sector rising, CSL up 0.6% and COH rising 0.9%. Tech stocks were back in vogue, WTC jumped another 2.6% with XRO up 8.6% and the All-Tech Index flying 3.8% higher. REA and CAR also caught the optimism. WOW and COL pushed ahead, Agri stocks were also firm following RIC results. ELD up 2.8% and A2M up 1.4%.

In resources, BHP hitting fresh records, up 2.2% with RIO playing catch up rallying 3.7%. FMG fell slightly. Gold miners took a breather with lithium stocks roaring on moves from Zimbabwe to limit exports of critical metals. PLS rallied another 8.3% to record highs, MIN up 4.0% and LTR dropping 8.6% on a large block trade indigestion. BSL dropped 2.3% as the board rejected the SGH bid. Energy stocks eased, WDS down 1.1% and PDN fell 4.2% with DYL off 4.4%.

In corporate news, QAN fell on a weaker outlook, LYC rose 1.2% on better than expected results, NEU jumped 5.7% on DAYBUE sales numbers, WOR stumbled 10.2% on worse than expected results. DRO rallied 8.9% on some new orders out of Europe and SUL jumped 8.4% on better numbers. CTT went flat on results falling 25.6%.

On the economic front, Private new capital expenditure (capex) rose 0.4% in the December quarter.  

Asian markets came back online with Japan up 0.9%. China down 0.2% and HK down 0.4%.

10-year yields steady at 4.70%

US Futures slightly weaker despite Nvidia results beating forecasts. DJ down 0.2% Nasdaq down 0.3%.

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U.S. equities rose on Wednesday, supported by Nvidia and Oracle, as stocks built on the gains from the prior trading day.

The S&P 500 added 0.81% and closed at 6,946.13, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.26% to 23,152.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 307.65 points, or 0.63%, and settled at 49,482.15.

Commodities rally. Bitcoin up 8%, Nvidia up 3% on results - Results in focus - QAN, SIG, WGX.

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The ASX 200 rose 106 points to 9128 (1.2%). Banks were slightly higher with WBC up % and the Big Bank Basket rose to $310.41 (0.5%). MQG had an anaemic 0.3% rally. Financials were better with GQG up 3.3% and ZIP soaring 9.4%. NWL and HUB also rallied. Insurers flat. REITs mixed, SCG up 0.3% and MGR falling 1.0%. Healthcare mixed, CSL flat, RMD down 2.7%. Tech was the place to be following a US rally and the WTC results and job losses. WTC rose 11.1% kicking the All -Tech Index up 4.0% with XRO up 5.5% and IRE jumping 9.6% on better-than-expected results. MP1 bounced 9.8% as volatility continued. Industrials mixed, WOW soared 13.0% on much better results, JBH rallied 0.9% and WES continued lower. TAH hit the jackpot on results rising 23.5%. REA and CAR both trundled higher. 

In resources, BHP hitting record highs again up another 3.2%. FMG jumped 4.7% on results. RIO joined in too. Gold miners were mostly better, NST up 2.1% and EVN up 3.3%. Lithium stocks jumped again, PLS up 2.8% and MIN up 1.5%. LYC jumped 7.9%. Copper stocks also in demand, SFR up 2.2%. Uranium stocks picked up pace, PDN up 4.0% and NXG rising 3.7%.

In corporate news, DMP dumped 11.1% on sales and margin issues. FLT softer on reaffirmed guidance. IRE rallied 9.6% on results and AX1 soared 19.9% after beating H1 and the dividend. DRO also had a good day, up 12.6%, after net profit jumped 367%. Still only $3.5m.

On the economic front, Australian monthly CPI came in a 3.8% as expected. 3.4% on the core CPI. Slightly above forecasts. Rate rises still on the table.

Asian markets came back online with Japan up 2.4%. China up 1.2% and HK rising 0.8%.

US Futures slightly firmer. Dow up 4 and Nasdaq up 29 on SOTU Address.

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U.S. equities rose on Tuesday, led by gains in Advanced Micro Devices and software stocks, as investors’ fears around artificial intelligence disruption to certain industries eased.

The S&P 500 advanced 0.77% to close at 6,890.07, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.04% and settled at 22,863.68. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 370.44 points, or 0.76%, and ended at 49,174.50. The 30-stock index was supported by a nearly 2% rise in Home Depot shares after the company’s earnings beat expectations for the first time in a year. IBM shares, which tumbled in the prior trading day as a result of aforementioned AI fears, also added to the Dow’s gains.

SPI up 61 - Results and CPI in focus.

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Disclaimer
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