Market Updates Marcus Today

ASX 200 retreats significantly as bank weakness, retail woes and commodity issues pushed us down 83 points to 7722 (1.1%). CBA fell 2.2% on quarterly update, WBC crashed on ex-dividend down 5.6% with the Big Bank Basket down to $205.72 (-2.4%). MQG was a patch of green with REITs off too, GMG falling 1.67%, MGR falling 1.0%. Insurers steady QBE up 0.6% and SUN better as yields rallied to 4.35%. Flight to safety. Healthcare under pressure, CSL down 1.0% with RMD falling 2.3% and tech off as WTC fell 1.1% and XRO down 1.4%. The All-Tech Index fell 0.6%. Industrials swooned on some retail updates at Macquarie Conference, JBH down 2.5%, SUL off 5.5% and WES down 3.5%. QAN still finding some friends up 1.5%. In resources, BHP and FMG down around 0.8% with lithium stocks a little weaker, PLS down 0.2%. Gold miners under pressure, DEG pulling $600m from gold investors not helping. NST down 0.8% and RED off 1.1%. Oil and gas better, WDS up 0.8% and STO up 0.9% on new government commitment to gas. On the corporate front, BBN spat the dummy dropping 23.4% on a up(down)date. SUL down 5.5% on its sales update, and TPW gave up some serious ground on its latest sales numbers, falling 17.9%. JDO fell 0.4% on an update and ORI exploded 0.6% higher on its update. On the economic front, better Chinese export numbers. Locally weekly payrolls jobs down 0.6% in the month since March 16th. Asian better with Japan up 0.1% and HK up 1.1% with China up 0.9%. Yields higher at 4.35% in 10s.

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US equities finished mixed overnight in another low-volume trading session. The Dow extended its winning streak to six days, the longest since December, advancing 172 points. Dow up 210 points at best. Dow down 69 points at worst. The S&P 500 ended muted, remaining below the 5,200 snapping its four sessions of gains, while the NASDAQ fell 0.18%, pressured by losses in Tesla -1.7% on an autopilot probe, and Intel -2.2% after announcing its sales would take a hit after the US revoked some of the chipmaker's licences a move Beijing complained was going too far in the name of national security. Treasury yields moved up a touch after the $42bn auction of 10Y bonds saw tepid demand. In Fed speak, Fed’s Collins said getting to the 2% may take longer than expected, reinforcing the higher for longer mantra. No meaningful economic data overnight, markets now waiting for inflation data next week for insights into the economy.

ASX to fall. SPI Futures down 19 points (-0.24%). CBA in focus on trading update.
Base metals lower. Nickel -2.91%, Aluminium -0.74%, Zinc -1.80%, Lead -0.89% and Tin -2.05%.Copper eased 1.42% after Indonesia announced that it would extend copper export permits for Freeport, which will help ease shortages.Oil prices edged higher after US crude stockpiles fell last week.  WTI +0.75%, and Brent Crude +0.95%.10Y Bond Yields – US 4.500%, Australia 4.326%, and Germany 4.131%.Currencies – AUD -0.03%, USD Index +0.10%, Euro +0.01%, and Bitcoin -2.34%.Gold fell 0.22%, pressured by firming bond yields and USD.
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ASX 200 trades quietly up 11 points at 7805 (+0.1%) after a great day yesterday. Banks stalled close to record highs, NAB fell 0.5%, with ANZ up 1.2% on broker upgrades, MQG unchanged with the Big Bank Basket up to $210.71 (+0.4%). Financials mixed as PPT cratered 7.1% after a strategic review presentation. REITs better, although GMG fell 0.3% on an update, SGP up 1.1% with industrials slightly firmer, REA up 0.8% with TCL up 1.4% and WOR pushing ahead 1.2%. Tech seeing a late surge, the All-Tech Index up 0.5%. Resources mixed, Iron ore miners fell as prices eased back. FMG down 0.5%, RIO off 1.2% and MIN off 0.7%. PLS up 0.2% in the lithium space but PMT continuing the run from yesterday’s drill results. Golds firm but idle as DEG went to shareholders and instos to raise $600m. Oil and gas stocks firmed, WDS up 0.1% and STO up 1.1%. On the corporate front, PPT announced some big changes, a sale of its name and Rob Adams to retire after doing a great job. Not. Olam upped its bid in NAM as a two-horse race continues. QIP saw a competing bid from IPH up 5.4%, and QAN up 0.8% on record demand for premium seats. FLT, ABB, DGH, and JIN have all reaffirmed guidance. LLL announced a deal to sell the entire Malian mine to Ganfeng for US$342.7bn (43cps). On the economic front, plenty of RBA analysis. Asian markets saw some selling, with Japan off 1.5%, HK falling 0.7% and China down 0.5%. 10y yields 4.30%. Dow Futures down 6 points. NASDAQ Futures down 3 points.

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US stocks closed edged higher overnight, just finishing above the flatline in a fairly uneventful day of trade. The Dow rose 32 points (+0.08%), rising for its fifth consecutive session its longest winning streak since December 2023. Dow up 125 points at best, and down 12 points at worst. S&P 500 briefly hit 5,200, finishing 0.13% higher, marking a four-day winning streak, while the NASDAQ slipped 0.10% in late afternoon trade. Treasury yields eased a touch, while the $58bn 3Y note auction garnered solid demand, ahead of this weeks $42bn 10Y note auction tomorrow. In Fed speak, Fed’s Kashkari said he questions the restrictiveness of current policy given inflation data and was the latest central banker to talk about a higher neutral rate, raising his projection by 50bps to 2.50%.

ASX to rise. SPI Futures up 14 points (+0.18%).
Base metals are higher across the board. Nickel +0.31%, Aluminium +0.43%, Zinc +1.32%, Lead +1.44% and Tin +2.55%.Copper advanced +1.22%, pushing towards two-year highs as focus returned to tight supplies and hopes of stronger demand from China.  Gold is off 0.39%, letting go of gains made in the previous session as the market focuses on the Fed's rate cut prospects.   Oil prices edged lower on signs of easing supply concerns. WTI -0.16% and Brent Crude -0.63%.Currencies – AUD +0.02%, USD Index +0.29%, Euro +0.01%, and Bitcoin -0.68%.10Y Bond Yields – US 4.461%, Australia 4.283%, and Germany 2.424%.
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ASX 200 charges 111 points ahead to 7793 (1.4%). Banks leading the charge higher as ANZ reports and announces a $2bn buyback and NAB goes ex-dividend by 84c. The Big Bank Basket up 1.3% to $209.82. MQG jumped 2.5% as the Equities Conference kicks off with no bad news so far. Early days. Insurers and other financials picked up too, QBE up 0.9% and SUN up 0.6%. REITs also back in demand across the sector with GMG up 1.2% and SCG up 1.6%. Industrials firmed too, WOW up 1.4% and WES continuing to push higher after investor day up 2.2%. Green across screens with Tech doing ok, WTC up 2.3% and the All-Tech Index up 1.6%. Utilities doing well after an upgrade from AGL. Resources better with BHP up 1.6% and FMG kicking 1.8%. Lithium in selected stocks was better, LRS doing well up 8.5%. Uranium stocks back in favour, PDN kicking goals up 8.4%. Even oil and gas doing better, WDS up 1.9% and STO rallying 0.9%. Gold miners pushing higher with NST up 1.2%. In corporate news, ANZ results, AGL upgrade, SGM downgraded and fell 6.4%, HMC upgraded guidance putting on 6.8%. On the economic front, retail sales dropped again, the RBA kept rates on hold as expected with ruling nothing in or out. Asian markets, Japan rose 1.4% with China down 0.2% and HK off 0.9%. 10-year yields fell to 4.31%.

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The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 176.59 points, or 0.46%, to close at 38,852.27. It was the fourth consecutive winning session for the 30-stock index. The S&P 500 advanced 1.03% to end at 5,180.74, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.19% to reach 16,349.25.

ASX to rise. SPI Futures up 38 points (+0.49%).
London’s LME closed overnight for the Early May Bank Holiday.Gold +0.88%.Oil prices edged higher as ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel failed to materialise.  WTI +0.56% and Brent Crude +0.38%.10Y Bond Yields – US 4.487%, Australia 4.386%, and Germany 2.465%.Currencies – AUD -0.02%, USD Index +0.06%, Euro -0.02%, and Bitcoin -0.50%.
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