Wall Street edged higher on Wednesday as strong earnings results out of the Bank of America and Morgan Stanley boosted the major averages into the green at the closing bell. The Nasdaq added 0.6%, the S&P 500 gained 0.4%, and the Dow Jones ended the day flat. 

Cooking oil stocks surged in the U.S. on Wednesday after President Trump threatened to cut off U.S. purchases of Chinese cooking oil.

In Europe overnight markets closed mixed as luxury brands across the region led markets gains. The STOXX 600 rose 0.7%, Germany’s DAX fell 0.1% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 0.3%.

Across the Asia region on Wednesday, it was a sea of green despite renewed trade threats between the world’s two largest economies. Japan’s Nikkei rose 1.76%, China’s CSI index added 1.48%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 2.06% and India’s Nifty 50 ended the day up 0.74%.

Locally yesterday, the ASX200 posted a 1.03% rise on Wednesday as gains from the healthcare stocks, the major banks and gold miners boosted the key index to a positive finish.

Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) soared over 15% yesterday after the radiopharmaceutical company released a positive Q3 trading update including a 53% increase YoY in unaudited revenue to US$206m, the receipt of full reimbursement for its Gozellix Product from the US Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the company raised its full year revenue guidance range to US$800 to US$820m from US$770 to US$800m.

And the competition watchdog launched a probe into the merger between Southern Cross Media and Seven West Media due to concerns it may reduce competition in an already consolidated market.

What to watch today:

• On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 0.15% lower at US$58.50/barrel, gold is up a further 1.51% at a fresh record US$4205.90/ounce and iron ore is down 1.2% at US$105.25/tonne.
• The Aussie dollar has strengthened against the greenback to buy 65.08 US cents, 98.45 Japanese yen, 48.77 British pence and 1 New Zealand dollar and 1 New Zealand dollar and 14 cents.
• Ahead of Thursday’s trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down just 0.04%.

 Trading ideas:

• Bell Potter has increased the 12-month price target on Jumbo Interactive (ASX:JIN)from $11.50 to $11.85 and maintain a hold rating on the digital lotteries business following the company’s acquisition of Dream Car Giveaways for an enterprise value of $109.9m. The analyst sees the acquisition is another positive step in diversifying revenue and the hold rating is maintained due to risks in market share as new players enter the lotteries market and key competitors strengthen their offerings.
• And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Vicinity Centres (ASX:VCX) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 96-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $2.54 to the range of $2.74 to $2.78 according to standard principles of technical analysis.