CommSec Market Update

Wall Street ends the week with a fresh set of record highs as U.S. stocks rise for the fourth consecutive day. Markets posted their best weekly gains in a year, with the S&P 500 marking its 50th record high for 2024. Meanwhile, futures indicate a decline for the ASX 200 as China’s stimulus efforts leave investors unimpressed and a busy week awaits in Australia, with key wage and employment fig...

Join Steve and Laura as they break down a strong week for the Australian stock market, which saw a 0.8% increase for the ASX200 and nearly a 10% year-to-date gain, despite still lagging behind the S&P 500 and NASDAQ. Market optimism may be attributed to factors like Trump’s pro-growth policies and expectations for Chinese stimulus. Key sectors performed well, with notable gains from financial...

Wall Street maintains its upward momentum, reaching record highs the day after U.S. presidential election results. The Federal Reserve has cut rates for a second consecutive meeting to support the economy. In company news, Warner Bros. Discovery reports significant subscriber growth. Meanwhile, the Bank of England has also cut rates, though higher inflation is projected following the new governmen...

The local market remained surprisingly flat today in contrast to how the US performed following the election outcome.  Laura and Stevie unpack this market performance looking at why the US saw gains, talk through the performance of the local sectors which has been a mixed bag today with around half in the green and half dropping, and they look at the stocks that caught their eye including Sigma He...

U.S. stocks have reached historical highs following Donald Trump’s presidential win, with the Dow Jones index up around 1,400 points. U.S. bond yields also surged as Trump’s victory accelerated a bond sell-off. Meanwhile, European shares, particularly among car makers, fell on fears of potential Trump tariffs. Commodity prices slumped as the U.S. dollar surged, with copper prices tumbling amid con...

With the US election underway Laura and Stevie begin the podcast today by reflecting on the journey so far.  They look at the impact on the US market and the flow on effect that we have seen back home.  Most of the sectors are in positive territory and they talk through the winners and losers, the stocks that saw the biggest moves across the session, and what could be on the cards as the US electi...

U.S. stocks are moving higher as the final votes for the presidential election are cast. All sectors in the S&P 500 are up, led by Palantir Technologies, which reached a record high on positive guidance. Meanwhile, U.S. bond yields are advancing as betting markets lean towards a Trump victory. Iron ore has climbed to a two-week high on expectations of additional stimulus from China, while copp...

The market has seen some slight declines today but clawed back some of those losses as trade progressed.  Laura is solo today and deep dives into the RBA’s decision around interest rates which were left on hold and if there was any impact on the market.  Ahead of the imminent US election she unpacks the current market sentiment and what could be on the cards for markets, and discusses the stocks t...

U.S. traders are watching the polls closely as bonds rise and the U.S. dollar falls, with 'Trump trades' being unwound. In company news, Nvidia is set to replace Intel in the Dow Jones index. Meanwhile, oil prices have risen nearly 3% after OPEC’s decision to delay output increases. In Australia, shares are expected to slip ahead of the RBA’s interest rate decision on Melbourne Cup Day, while the...

The ASX 200 has bounced back, breaking a three-day losing streak amid a strong start to November, fuelled by positive U.S. market performance and widespread sector gains. Most sectors surged, though energy and materials lagged due to global economic strains, notably from China. Noteworthy updates included Westpac’s financial results, with a slight dip in annual profit but a promising dividend incr...

Just days before the US election, Wall Street ended last week with positive momentum, driven by investors responding to US job growth despite a weather-affected month. Meanwhile, technology stocks rebounded on better-than-expected earnings. Closer to home, the Australian share market is set to open higher ahead of the RBA’s decision, with banks in focus as Westpac prepares to release its earnings....

It's been a challenging start to the month for Aussie stocks, with the ASX 200 closing down after early morning volatility. Global influences weighed on the market, especially disappointing profit reports from major U.S. tech companies. Investors are also on edge ahead of the U.S. election and central bank interest rate decisions in Australia and the U.S., both potentially stirring up more market...

It's the first day of the new month, and Wall Street is on track to post its first monthly decline since April. AI investments by major tech companies like Meta and Microsoft have raised investor concerns, while chip growth faces bottlenecks. Meanwhile the U.S. inflation gauge and consumer spending show strength in a solid economy with oil rising on increased fuel demand and gold easing from recor...

The Aussie market ended October on a down note, closing 1.3% lower, making it the second-worst month of the year. While financials, tech, and consumer discretionary sectors saw modest gains, other sectors struggled, particularly staples and utilities. In the U.S., stronger-than-expected economic data, like job growth and home sales, has tempered rate cut expectations, with an important jobs update...

Wall Street struggles to advance as investors face information overload. Technology stocks decline on mixed earnings results, while strong economic data pushes interest rates higher. Meanwhile, markets remain cautious ahead of Meta and Microsoft earnings. In the UK, the largest tax hike since 1993 is imminent. Gold reaches a record high ahead of the U.S. election, and oil prices rise due to a draw...

The anticipated barrage of key events that Laura and Stevie have been mentioning in recent episodes has begun taking place today.  They unpack the impact on local markets which ended a three-day winning streak fuelled by the latest inflation data and US earnings data from some major companies.  They talk through the sectors which mostly saw declines, the stocks that caught their eye with Woolworth...

Tech stocks are driving market gains, with stocks rising in anticipation of $12 trillion in earnings reports. Alphabet is set to release its earnings, and strong results will be crucial to ease investor concerns. In the housing sector, major names like D.R. Horton and Home Depot have weighed on the homebuilders' index, with Home Depot as the Dow Jones's worst performer. Meanwhile, U.S. labour mark...

The market has climbed slightly higher today following several sessions of modest moves.  Laura and Stevie start the day by diving into oil prices amid conflicts in the Middle East and discuss some acquisition news with a deal worth around 1 billion dollars taking place today.  They look at how this impacted the involved parties share prices, discuss the stand out stocks that caught their attentio...

Wall Street starts the week strong, gearing up for the busiest week of U.S. earnings. Oil prices plunge 6% on a reduced risk of broader conflict in the Middle East, and financial stocks gain as U.S. Treasury yields reach a three-month high. Meanwhile, Alphabet shares are in focus ahead of earnings results, while transport stocks benefit from lower crude oil prices. Closer to home, Aussie shares ar...

The Aussie market has barely budged today following the falls of last week as a number of key events sit on the horizon.  Laura and Stevie unpack these upcoming events and the likely impact on the market, look at the performance of the sectors with utilities and property seeing a hit, and the performance of individual stocks with Paladin and other uranium stocks seeing some losses. The content in...

Wall Street closed last week with a mixed performance as investors monitor the upcoming U.S. election's impact on market conditions. Bank stocks surrendered recent leadership on disappointing earnings, while interest rates continued to rise. Meanwhile, oil prices surged due to ongoing Middle East tensions. Locally, ASX 200 futures indicate a flat start, with Australian investors eyeing key inflati...

The Aussie share market closed the week on a modest gain, despite significant fluctuations earlier. The ASX 200 remains down about 0.9% over the past five days, marking the end of a two-week winning streak. Major highlights included WiseTech’s 13% rise after its CEO announced he would be stepping down into a consulting role following media scrutiny. Other notable performers were Qantas, buoyed by...

Wall Street saw its first improvement of the week on Thursday, despite the Dow Jones heading for its fourth consecutive decline. In company news, Tesla has delivered a better-than-expected quarter with an upbeat 2025 outlook, while UPS shares jumped after reporting their first profit growth in nearly two years. Meanwhile, U.S. bond yields slipped from a three-month high. Closer to home, Australia...

The ASX 200 experienced minimal movement today, with small sector gains offset by losses, ending the day down by about 0.1%. Tech stocks were among the worst performers, with WiseTech wiping out a gigantic chunk of its market value amid a scandal involving its CEO. The mining sector also struggled, with Fortescue Metals reporting rising costs despite record shipments. On a positive note, Telix Pha...

Investor caution continues to take shape ahead of the US election, while U.S. Treasury yields have fallen for a third straight day as bets on a Fed rate cut wane. In company news, Apple shares dropped after iPhone production cuts, and Coca-Cola shares declined despite better-than-expected earnings reports. Meanwhile, McDonald’s has pulled a popular burger from its menu due to an E. coli outbreak....