Between the Bells

The new Omicron COVID-19 variant pushed global markets lower this week, with the Aussie share market trading down 0.7% (Mon-Thu). Plus, Aussie investors digested key economic data, including better-than-expected September quarter GDP.  In this week’s wrap, Sophia covers: (0:28) The latest GDP and balance of trade data (1:51) Top performer, Collins Foods' (ASX:CKF) strong half-year results (2:...

As the omicron variant continues to spread, and the Federal Reserve flags that they will consider winding down bond purchases sooner, the Aussie share market closed 0.28% lower, a near two-month low. The market did manage to recover in the afternoon after better-than-expected GDP data and a positive outlook for Chinese growth. The lockdowns in NSW and Victoria drove a 1.9% contraction in the econo...

Yesterday morning, Australian shares made an impressive rebound, rising 1.3% at its highest level of the session, however soon after started to decline and closed with a smaller gain of 0.2%. Selling began off the back of reports from the CEO of Moderna, who told the press yesterday that existing vaccines will struggle against the new omicron COVID-19 variant. This saw the US futures for last nigh...

The ASX200 closed in the red yesterday, down 0.5%, in what was a rollercoaster session for the benchmark index, driven by investor fears about the new omicron COVID-19 variant.  Only two of the eleven sectors were higher, materials and information technology. While the real estate and energy sectors came under pressure, down 1.4% each.  The biggest gainers included HUB24 (ASX:HUB), Bapcor (ASX:BAP...

We’ve seen a broad sell off across global financial markets amid fears of the new COVID-19 variant identified in South Africa. It has sparked concerns that the virus could again set back economic recoveries worldwide.  The Aussie market tumbled 1.7% on Friday. All sectors declined and energy stocks took the biggest hit felling 4.5%. Gold miners finished lower most of last week, however rebounded o...

The Aussie share market traded slightly higher this week, up 0.15% (Mon-Thu). The materials and utilities sectors made strong gains, while the information technology sector declined the most.  In this week’s wrap, Sophia covers: (0:58) EML Payments' (ASX:EML) impressive gain after regulatory resolution (2:23) Why the iron ore price lifted this week (3:20) TechnologyOne (ASX:TNE) tumbling desp...

The ASX200 closed 0.15% lower yesterday, however, is still tracking 1% higher for the month of November.  Energy stocks led the gains, benefiting from a firmer crude oil price. Utilities advanced nearly 1% and both the Real Estate and Healthcare sectors managed to post small gains. The rest of the market closed in the red, with the Tech sector down the most, as bond yields climbed.  The top stocks...

The ASX200 closed 0.8% higher, with Energy and Materials sectors making the strongest gains. All but three sectors advanced.  Iron ore miners rose higher in response to the higher iron ore and oil prices in the spot market. Fortescue Metals (ASX:FMG) advanced almost 10% by close of trade.  While gold miners fell yesterday, as the price of gold fell to a three-week low and the Australian dollar was...

The ASX200 started the week in the red, down 0.6% yesterday, with travel stocks coming under pressure and all four of the big banks closing between 1-2% lower. Nickel Mines (ASX:NIC) closed about 8% higher after it signed a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai Decent Investment as a framework for future development projects.  The US market was mixed. The Dow managed to gain 0.05%, however bot...

On Friday the ASX200 edged 0.2% higher. Healthcare, Consumer Staples and Materials made the most gains, while the Industrials and Information Technology sectors declined the most.  Casino group, Crown Resorts (ASX:CWN) rose more than 16% on Friday, off the back of news that US private equity group Blackstone, who currently own 10% of Crown, put forward a merger proposal, bidding $12.50 cash per sh...

The Aussie share market declined 0.9% (Mon-Thu). Financials took a hit after the Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) released a disappointing Q1 result, while wage growth saw its strongest annual rise since March 2020.  In this week’s wrap, Sophia covers: (0:22) Key takeaways from the latest wage growth data  (2:17) Nickel Mines (ASX:NIC) gains 9% as production output is brought forward (3:27) Why CBA&apo...

Aussie shares came under pressure yesterday, with the ASX200 closing 0.7% lower. The Financials sector weighed down on the market following Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) releasing a disappointing Q1 result, which came in below market expectations. The best performing sector was the Tech sector which lifted a modest 1.6%. Telecommunications business, Uniti Group (ASX:UWL) lifted 8.3%, fo...

The ASX200 fell 0.7% yesterday following a sell-off in Mining stocks and weaker commodity prices, which saw Materials as the worst performer. BHP Group (ASX:BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) both fell more than 2%. Energy stocks also fell, including Santos (ASX:STO), Oil Search (ASX:OSH) and Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL). Most sectors were lower, except Information Technology. Chalice Mining (ASX:CHN) w...

The Aussie share market managed to close 0.4% higher yesterday, with the market now up a modest 2% for November. Most sectors closed higher, except for the Energy, Materials and Utilities sectors.  Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) blasted its way to the top of the leaderboard, closing nearly 12% higher after the release of an update on a phase three trial for the therapy’s use in treating chronic heart failure...

On Friday, Aussie shares rebounded and ended the week higher after three days of losses. Mining stocks were the best performers, with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO), BHP Group (ASX:BHP), Fortescue Metals (ASX:FMG), Champion Iron (ASX:CIA) and Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) all making gains.  In overseas markets, despite worrisome inflation figures in both the US and China, weighing down on global sentiment last...

The Aussie share market has come under pressure this week, down 1% (Mon-Thu). All sectors closed in the red, except for the Materials sector, off the back of positive announcements from a few Mining stocks. In this week’s wrap, Sophia covers: (0:34) The rundown on the latest unemployment reading (2:12) Why Chalice Mining's (ASX:CHN) share price skyrocketed (3:12) Seven more Mining stocks that...

The Aussie share market fell for the third straight day yesterday, down 0.14%, off the back of a weakening iron ore price with big miners and blue chips leading the falls.   For the second straight day, Chalice Mining (ASX:CHN) has topped the leader board, lifting another 5% following the company’s platinum discovery near Perth. The worst performing stocks were BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL) and Nearma...

The ASX200 lost 0.2% yesterday. Financials were down – CBA, ANZ and Westpac declined, as did NAB after releasing positive full-year results. NAB reported profits rebounded, increasing 77% and declared a $0.67 final dividend, which is more than double what it paid this time last year.  Chalice Mining (ASX:CHN) jumped an impressive 28.5% after they uncovered the world’s largest nickel sulphide disco...

Yesterday, the ASX200 broke its 3-day winning streak, dipping 0.06% or 4 points, as blue chips, tech and healthcare stocks weighed down on the market.  Sector wise, the market was mixed. The energy sector was strong, up nearly 2%, while the tech sector was the worst performer, which fell 1.72%. Travel stocks performed well: Flight Centre (ASX:FLT), Webjet (ASX:WEB) and Qantas (ASX:QAN) all advance...

The market finished the week with three straight days of gains, closing with 0.4% higher on Friday. The communications services sector gained 1.65%, while energy and information technology sectors were the only two sectors in the red. IT company Link Group (ASX:LNK) led Friday’s advance, after they received a takeover bid from Carlyle Group, a private equity company in the US. The news saw LNK ris...

Yesterday, the ASX200 rallied 0.9%, its best session in a month. Supporting the market was strong gains from the materials sector and major banks, while the tech sector closed in the red, down 0.19%.  The best performer of the ASX200 was AMP (ASX:AMP), its shares closed 9.3% higher after the company agreed to divest its 19.13% equity interest in Resolute Life Australasia for a consideration of $52...

Yesterday, the ASX200 fell about 46 points in a volatile session. Real Estate shares rebounded, while Materials dropped the most. Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) advanced 5.6%, after a positive trading update. Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC) was the worst performer. Its shares fell alongside the price of Chinese thermal coal.  In New York overnight, the three major benchmarks closed at a record for the third se...

Yesterday, the ASX200 started the month of November with an advance of 0.6%, supported by a busy session of merger and acquisition activity. All sectors of the market gained ground, except for the Financials sector which fell 0.48%. In the US, the Dow, S&P500 & Nasdaq all closed at record highs to start the month of November. Stocks linked to the economic recovery performed well, including...

On Friday, the ASX200 had its worst day in 4-weeks, ending the month slightly lower, falling 0.1% in October. All sectors closed in the red on Friday. Some of the best performers on Friday were GUD Holdings (ASX:GUD) up 6.9%. ResMed (ASX:RMD) also made gains. Its trading update saw revenue climb 20%. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX:URW) declined the most despite its centres reopening.  European mar...