Between the Bells

As July wraps up, all eyes turn to August reporting season, where investors are bracing for modest earnings growth and heightened volatility. Banks, staples and tech stocks face valuation pressure, while retailers and miners contend with weaker demand and rising costs. Expect capital management, cost control and forward guidance to separate the standouts from the strugglers. In this week’s wrap, G...

To start, we wanted to let you know that for a limited time only, you can earn 4.75% p.a. on new ‘ready to invest’ Bell Direct accounts. Visit the Bell Direct website to find out more. Well, as investors await the impending tariff deadline, the US has finalised an agreement with Japan, including reciprocal tariffs of 15%  on the nations exports to the US. All three US benchmarks rallied, with the...

Wall Street closed mostly higher on Tuesday with the S&P500 resetting its record high as the major average rose 0.06%, while the Dow Jones climbed 0.4%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.39%. Investors continued shifting focus from trade war developments to robust earnings results. In Europe overnight markets closed lower for a third day as investors digested earnings results from some of the largest comp...

Wall Street closed with records across 2 of the 3 major averages on Monday as optimism around earnings overshadowed investor fears of the latest tariff developments. The S&P500 rose 0.14% to close over 6300 for the first time, the Nasdaq added 0.38% to also post a record close and the Dow jones ended the day down just 0.04%. This second quarter earnings season has started very strong in the U....

Wall Street closed mixed on Friday following reports President Trump pushed for greater tariffs on the European region. The Dow jones fell 0.32% on Friday, the S&P500 lost just 0.01% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day up 0.05%. Reports suggest Trump is demanding a minimum tariff between 15-20% from the EU ahead of the August 1 tariff implementation date. Consumer sentiment in the U.S. als...

Defence spending surged to a record $2.7 trillion in 2024, with NATO and Indo-Pacific nations ramping up budgets amid ongoing geopolitical risks. Bell Potter sees strong growth ahead, with opportunities in direct plays like DroneShield (ASX:DRO) and broader exposure through ETFs like DFND and ARMR. While the sector has rallied, tailwinds remain - but investors should be mindful of risks like polic...

US equities were higher on Wall Street overnight of the back of news headlines that President Donald Trump has denies firing Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman, which initially sent the S&P500 index lower. The three major benchmarks rallied at the close. The Dow Jones added 200 points or 0.53%, the S&P500 gained 0.32% while the tech heavy Nasdaq added 0.25%. European markets were al...

Wall Street closed higher to start the new trading week in the green despite President Trump’s latest tariff threats over the weekend. The S&P500 rose 0.14%, the Nasdaq added 0.27% and the Dow Jones ended the day up 0.2%. Investors will gauge the first hit of tariffs on the region’s inflation this week when the latest U.S. inflation reading is out. In Europe overnight markets closed mostly low...

Wall St closed mixed amid concerns over inflation after the latest data out for June overnight revealed US inflation increased from May with CPI rising 0.3% MoM to an annual rate of 2.7% while core inflation rose 0.2% MoM or 2.9% on an annual basis. The Dow Jones fell 0.98%, the Nasdaq gained 0.18% and the S&P500 ended the day down 0.4%. In Europe overnight markets closed lower for a third str...

Wall Street closed lower on Friday after President Trump announced a 35% tariff on Canada and threatened higher tariffs across the board. The S&P500 retreated 0.33% a day after posting a fresh record high, the Nasdaq lost 0.22% and the Dow Jones ended the day down 0.63%.In Europe on Friday, markets closed lower as investors awaited the highly anticipated tariff letter to arrive from President...

The RBA held rates steady this week, surprising markets but aligning with its wait-and-see approach ahead of upcoming CPI data. Meanwhile globally, Trump confirmed tariffs will rise from August 1, sparking volatility across the markets. On one hand, copper jumped on news of a 50% US import tariff, with traders rushing to reroute shipments. However, the prospect of a 200% tariff on imported drugs h...

Wall Street recovered to close higher on Wednesday as investors shrugged off the latest tariff noise to buy into tech and other growth market areas again. The Nasdaq rose 0.94% boosted by Nvidia shares climbing 1.8%, the S&P500 added 0.61%, and the Dow Jones ended the day up 0.5%. On Wednesday, Trump sent a further 6 letters to countries outlining new tariffs on imports of goods bound for the...

Wall Street closed mixed on Tuesday as investors assessed the latest comments out of President Trump on the tariff front whereby he said there will be no exceptions to his August 1 tariff start date. The S&P500 lost just 0.07%, the Dow Jones dipped 0.37% and the Nasdaq ended the day up 0.03%. In Europe overnight, markets in the region closed higher as investors hope trade deals can be done bet...

Wall St closed lower to start the new week as President Trump reportedly posted letters to countries indicating new tariff terms and amounts that will come into play once the July 9 waiver deadline ends. The Dow Jones fell 0.94% on Monday, the S&P 500 lost 0.79% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 0.92%. Imports from at least 7 countries will face hefty tariffs from August 1 according...

Wall St was closed for the July 4 Independence Day holiday on Friday. Over in Europe on Friday markets closed mostly lower ahead of Trump’s looming tariff deadline day. The STOXX 600 fell 0.5%, Germany’s DAX lost 0.6%, the French CAC fell 0.8%, and, in the UK, the FTSE 100 ended the day flat. Across the Asia region on Friday, markets similarly closed mostly lower as investors fear the end of the t...

FY25 ended with the ASX200 up 10%, driven by gains in tech, financials and discretionary stocks. Meanwhile, materials and energy lagged amid tariffs, China’s slow recovery, and global tensions. Looking to FY26, rate cuts, easing trade risks and sector catalysts could support further growth. Bell Potter sees opportunities in healthcare, uranium, and select defensives and REITs poised to benefit fro...

Wall Street closed mostly higher on Wednesday after President Trump announced a U.S.-Vietnam trade deal has been reached to the effect of 20% tariffs on goods imported from Vietnam into the U.S. Investors welcomed the news despite fresh economic data also out yesterday showing private payrolls in the U.S. surprisingly declined in June. The S&P500 ended the day up 0.47% to a fresh record high o...

Wall Street closed mixed to start the new quarter as investors rotated out of tech stocks to start the new quarter. The Dow Jones rose 0.91%, the S&P 500 fell 0.11% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 0.82%. Investors are also weighing the latest developments with President Trump’s major tax and spending bill while assessing comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell around the rate outloo...

US equities brushed off the mid- session nerves as both the S&P500 and the Nasdaq reset the closing record highs, advancing 0.52% and 0.47% respectively, while the Dow Jones climbed 275 points or 0.63%. Gains followed the announcement that Canada revokes its digital service tax to facilitate trade negotiations with the US. And as President Donald Trump’s 90- day tariff postponement is schedule...

Wall Street closed higher on Friday as investors looked past President Trump’s latest swipe at Canada. The S&P500 rose 0.52% to close at a fresh record high while the Dow Jones added 1% and the Nasdaq ended the day up also 0.52% and also to a fresh record high. On Friday President Trump posted on truth social, his social media platform, that talks between the U.S. and Canada were being termina...

Markets remained volatile this week as global indices pushed toward record highs despite geopolitical tensions and the looming end of the tariff pause on July 9. Gold briefly lost ground as ceasefire hopes between Israel and Iran settled nerves, but upside risks remain. Meanwhile, Bell Potter’s latest Analyst Outlook & Stock Picks report highlights opportunities in agriculture, tech, healthcar...

Wall Street closed mixed on Wednesday as investors await clarity on ceasefire reports out of Iran and Israel. The S&P 500 was little changed, the Nasdaq added 0.31% and the Dow Jones ended the day down 0.25%. Investors bought into the some of magnificent 7 overnight sending Nvidia shares up 4.3% to a fresh record high while Alphabet added 2.3%. In Europe overnight, markets closed lower despite...

Wall St closed higher on Tuesday as investors hold onto hopes of a ceasefire in the Middle East. The Dow Jones rose 1.2%, the S&P500 added 1.11% and the Nasdaq ended the day up 1.43%. While President Trump reported on Tuesday morning that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been agreed upon, reports then followed that Iran has not agreed to a ceasefire thus sparking fears of prolonged tens...

Wall Street started the new trading week with a surprising but welcome rally as investors welcomed the delayed reaction by Iran to the U.S. launching an attack on its nuclear facilities over the weekend. Oil prices tumbled overnight as investors now bet the impact of the Middle East war won’t be as great as was first expected on global oil supply from the region. The S&P500 rose 0.96% on Monda...

Wall Street ended Friday’s session mixed as investors remained concerned about escalating tensions in the Middle East. The S&P500 fell 0.22%, the Dow Jones rose 0.08%, and the Nasdaq ended the day down 0.51%. Chip stocks came under pressure on Friday on reports that the U.S. may revoke some wavers placed on tariffs for chip stocks, leading to Nvidia shares dropping 1% on Friday. In Europe on F...