market update

Energy powered the Australian market higher on Monday, with a 4 per cent rise in the S&P/ASX 200 Energy index at the heart of market sentiment, as oil, gas and coal prices rose. The energy action helped the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 advance 23.5 points, or 0.3 per cent, or to 6852.2, while the broader All…

ASX retakes 7,000, iron ore falls, CBA hits new record, dispersion grows  The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished the week on a positive note, moving 0.5% higher and retaking the 7,000-point level. Every sector was higher barring materials, with Fortescue (ASX:FMG) and BHP Group (ASX:BHP) falling 2.8% and 1.5% respectively after the iron ore price dropped 9.5% during the day. On the positive side, the…

ASX follows Wall Street lower, defensive rotation, Graincorp beats expectations The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) has followed Wall Street lower, falling 0.9%, after higher-than-expected inflation figures spooked investors overnight. Short-term traders are betting that the Federal Reserve will be forced to increase interest rates earlier than expected, suggesting long-term growth companies will be worth less as a result. The selling pressure…

ASX hits 14-month high, ANZ dividend surprise, Nearmap upgrades revenue guidance  The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) reached a 14-month high, adding 0.4% and once again nearing a record. The primary driver was the healthcare sector, up 1.1%, with key constituent CSL (ASX:CSL) up 2.4% offering the majority of the support. Private hospital, imaging, and COVID-19 testing firm Healius (ASX:HLS) finished flat despite reporting…

Market volatility up as ASX finishes flat, Zip Co jumps 17%, Cleanaway’s new deal The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished flat for the day with gains in the IT sector, which was 2.2% higher, insufficient to offset weakness across cyclical businesses including energy, -0.7%, and utilities, -1.1%. The standout by far was Buy Now Pay Later firm Zip Co (ASX:Z1P) which…

ASX delivers strong gains, gold shining again, travel hit by vaccine issues The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished the week flat but managed to deliver a strong 2.4% from just four days of trading. The initial driver was the Reserve Bank reiterating their accommodative policy settings, sending the technology sector including Afterpay (ASX:APT) up 15.1% over the week after a difficult few months….

Second quarter off to strong start, AMP’s CEO departs, Boral announces buyback The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished the week and commenced the new quarter on a strong note, finishing 0.5% higher with both IT, up 2.3%, and materials, 1.3%, contributing. It was a day for stock specific news with the worst kept secret in finance being confirmed, AMP’s CEO Francesco…

ASX finishes higher on volatile day, US stimulus passed, Treasury Wine (ASX:TWE) now a takeover target The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) rallied strongly on the Labour Day public holiday for Victorians, opening 1.7% higher but giving up gains during the session to finish a more modest 0.4% higher. Much of the positive moves were driven by the materials sector,…

ASX200 lower on bond rates, Crown (ASX:CWN) to face commission, Costa Group (ASX:CGC) boosted by avocados  The ASX200 finished 0.2% lower on a mixed day for the market, with resources and materials leading the way adding 2.6% ahead of a bumper dividend season. Most of the weakness came from the healthcare and IT sectors as the 10-year…

ASX higher, Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) dividend boost, Lend Lease (ASX:LLC) CEO leaves, Crown Ltd (ASX:CWN) has an uncertain future The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished 0.5% higher, with every sector but consumer discretionary adding to returns. IT was once again the standout with both Afterpay Ltd (ASX:APT) and Zip Co (ASX:Z1P) hitting all-time highs as BNPL valuations took another leap forward. Whilst reported…