Between the Bells

In New York overnight, the S&P500 jumped to its highest level in 13 months, markets have come to expect that the Federal Reserve will skip a rate increase at this week’s Fed meeting. The Fed has hiked 10 consecutive times since beginning its policy tightening cycle in March last year. US investors are also awaiting inflation data out on Tuesday in the US, with economists expecting CPI to show...

The Aussie share market fell 0.64% (Mon-Thu), as investor sentiment was dampened by the RBA’s unexpected 25-basis point rate hike announcement on Tuesday, with warning of further hikes to come if inflation does not move toward the 2-3% target range. In this week's wrap, Sophia covers: (0:11) What’s happening in the energy sector (1:22) Concerns for manufacturers with energy transitions (1:57)...

In the US overnight, the S&P500 and Nasdaq closed lower as investors took profits from technology stocks that have rallied over recent weeks, and overall investor sentiment was dampened by a surprise interest rate hike out of Canada’s central bank due to persistent inflation in the region. The rate hike out of Canada heightened investor fears ahead of the Fed’s FOMC meeting next week. US trade...

Wall St closed modestly higher on Tuesday as investors await inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting outcome on the rate hike front next week. The S&P500 added 0.24% trading near a nine-month high, while the Nasdaq added 0.36% and the Dow Jones closed just 0.03% higher on Tuesday. The 3-day ASX rally ended yesterday with the key index closing 1.20% lower as investors responded...

US equities closed in the red in New York overnight, with the Dow Jones closing 0.6% lower and the S&P500 slightly down 0.2%, as industrials and financials led seven of the eleven industry sectors lower. The Nasdaq was down only 0.09%. US markets eased after Friday’s broad-based rally.  In Europe, markets also closed lower as investors digested the US debt ceiling agreement and euro zone infla...

Wall St ended Friday’s session on a high, with the key indices each adding over 1% and the Dow Jones jumping 2.1% as investors welcomed a mixed payrolls report with an unexpected rise in unemployment and a slowdown in annual wage growth, all signs that the Federal Reserve’s aggressive rate hike action is taking effect on cooling economic growth in the US. In May, the US economy added 339,000 jobs...

Well markets rebounded overnight, after falling the session prior. On Wall Street, all three major benchmarks closed in positive territory. The Nasdaq and the S&P500 closed at their highest levels since August, up 1.28% and 1% respectively, while the Dow Jones gained 0.47%. The rally was off the back of the bill to raise the debt limit and cap government spending being passed in the House by a...

European markets tumbled as concerns remained over the US debt ceiling bill ahead of the deadline of June 5th. German inflation data will also be out tonight as well as a euro zone flash reading.  Additionally, investors are weighing China’s manufacturing PMI data, that declined for the second straight month and at a faster rate than expected. The STOXX 600 closed the session down 1.1%, with all s...

It was a very muted session on the ASX yesterday as the market quickly overcame the boost from US debt ceiling negotiations ending in an agreement to be presented to congress, and investors shifted focus ahead to next week’s rate hike decision out of the RBA and the potential for inflation to remain stickier down under for a little while longer. The ASX fell 0.11% on Tuesday weighed down by a 0.88...

The ASX started the week on a very positive note after a late-night phone call on Saturday between US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ended the months-long debt ceiling negotiations with a compromised, tentative outcome being agreed to. The US was just under 2-weeks away from running out of money to pay its bills according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, so the last-minute...

US markets are set to rally on Monday following the conclusion of a length negotiations process over raising the U.S. debt ceiling which finally concluded on Saturday (US time). Stocks in the US rallied on Friday as investors grew hopeful of an outcome in the debt ceiling negotiations between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The Dow Jones rose 1%, the S&P500 added 1.3%, and th...

The Aussie share market declined 1.94% (Mon-Thu), as a sharp sell-off in materials stocks on the back of lower iron ore prices due to weakened demand from China's steel mills. In this week's wrap, Grady covers: (0:11) Cost-of-living pressures in Australia (0:39) Why income stocks are gaining attention (1:19) Bell Direct's Strategy Builder (2:13) High dividend stock selection (4:11)...

In New York overnight, US equities closed mixed, as investors watch for debt ceiling updates. While the Dow Jones closed 0.11% lower, the S&P500 gained 0.9% and the Nasdaq advanced 1.7%.  European markets ended lower. The benchmark Stoxx 600 finished 0.24% lower after a choppy day, weighed down the most by oil and gas stocks, down around 2%.  What to watch today: The Australian market is set t...

Wall St closed the midweek session lower, extending the debt ceiling talks-related sell off into Wednesday as another day passed and no set plan has been decided, which investors take as a sign of concern. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said at a press conference late on Wednesday morning that negotiators remain at odds over a debt ceiling outcome. The US FOMC meeting minutes were also released in t...

Wall Street closed lower on Tuesday as negotiations over the debt ceiling appear to be making little progress. Monday’s meeting between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was productive with President Biden saying a default was off the table, however no set resolution has been decided yet. The S&P500 dropped 1.12%, the Dow Jones fell 0.69% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.26%. An...

It was a mixed session on Wall Street overnight as investors focus ahead to the pivotal debt ceiling negotiation talks at 5:30pm on Monday evening in the U.S. where President Biden will meet again with house speaker Kevin McCarthy to continue debt ceiling talks with just 10-days left until the earliest date that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the US could default. The S&P500 rose 0.02% o...

The Aussie share market advanced 0.44% this week (Mon-Thu), led by the energy sector gaining almost 2% and the information technology sector adding 1.97%. Investors have regained appetite for technology stocks as inflation eases in the US. In this week's wrap, Grady covers the: (0:17) US debt debate and important next steps (1:40) Bank of England's rate hike decision  (2:17) Healthcare s...

On Wall Street overnight, US equities closed mixed. While the Nasdaq closed the higher, the Dow Jones closed more than 200 points lower, or 0.66%, the fourth straight day of losses, and the S&P500 dropped 0.17%. The major benchmarks were dragged down my Disney shares falling 8% the day after the media giant released its fiscal second-quarter results. The results showed that higher prices helpe...

Wall Street closed mixed on Wednesday after US inflation data for April was released showing the CPI rose 4.9%, the lowest level since April 2021, which was also lower than economists’ expectations of a 5% rise. The reading remains above the Fed’s target zone however is a sign that that aggressive rate hike strategy so far, but the fed is starting to have an effect in cooling economic growth.  Ove...

The all-important Australian budget was released last night in the first surplus for 15 years at a figure of $4.2bn surplus for 2022-2023 and massively reduced budget deficits in the forecasted years to come, with the key winners being aged care workers through receiving a pay increase of 15%, women through cheaper childcare and funding toward boosting the number of women in apprenticeships, and a...

In New York overnight, there was little change as investors look ahead to key inflation readings, including April’s consumer price index report. The S&P500 closed with a small gain of 0.05%, the Nasdaq added 0.18% and the 30-stock Dow Jones closed 0.17% lower.  European markets closed higher as traders digested rate hikes by the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank at the end of last...

It was turbulent week on global markets last week following the announcements of rate hikes across the major global markets which in some cases were expected, while others, like out of the RBA, came as a shock to investors. Wall St rallied on Friday after robust jobs data indicated the economy is faring better than expected despite the Fed’s aggressive rate hike stance to date. April’s job data fo...

The Aussie share market declined this week, falling 1.6% (Mon-Thu), with only the utilities sector making gains. Financials and energy weighed down on the market the most. Also contributing to the market's decline were interest rate hike announcements in some of the key markets around the world.      In this week's wrap, Sophia covers: (0:22) The RBA's unexpected announcement (1:14)...

Wall Street closed the midweek session in negative territory after the Federal Reserve announced a 25-basis point rate hike overnight, marking the 10th straight rate hike in the US in a bid to tackle the country’s 40-year high inflation. Early investor optimism was dented after Fed Chair Jerome Powell ruled out cutting interest rates as he doesn’t expect inflation to fall quick enough. The Dow Jon...

The Federal Reserve meeting has kicked off, which saw European markets close lower, with oil and gas stocks weighing down on the market the most.  In the US, the Dow Jones tumbled more than 300 points or 1.08% amid concerns on the banking sector and ahead of the Fed’s rate decision. The S&P500 and the Nasdaq also both declined more than 1%.  What to watch today: The SPI futures are suggesting...