Market Update

Investment markets and key developments over the past weekGlobal share markets were mixed over the last week with US shares up 0.6% helped by a solid but less than expected rise in employment, Eurozone shares up 0.6% as reopening continues, but Japanese and Chinese shares down -0.7%. Australian shares rose another 1.6% pushing them further into record territory helped along by strong economic growth data and ongoing RBA dovishness. The rise in the S&P/ASX 200 was led by energy stocks (on [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets had a bit of a rough ride with inflation fears continuing to impact and this left them mixed for the week with US and Eurozone shares down but Japanese and Chinese shares up. Australian shares were hit hard earlier in the week by inflation fears and concerns about China diversifying its iron ore supply away from Australia (which is not likely in the short term as Australia accounts for [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets fell over the last week as US inflation data for April came in far stronger than expected raising fears of an earlier Fed tightening. Bond sensitive tech stocks were amongst the hardest hit. The poor global lead also weighed on the Australian share market after it hit a record high early in the week, although it fell back by far less given that the threat of higher inflation is [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets mostly rose over the last week helped by good earnings, dovish central banks and expectations that the softer than expected US jobs report for April will help keep the Fed accommodative. For the week US shares rose 1.2% to a new record high (but with the tech heavy Nasdaq losing 1.5%), Eurozone shares rose 1.5% to their highest since 2000 and Japanese shares gained 1.9%. Chinese shares bucked the [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Share markets generally fell over the last week, with worries about the resurgence in global coronavirus cases and reports that President Biden will propose a doubling in capital gains tax for high income earners weighing on markets, but strong economic data providing some offset. Despite a Friday surge, US shares slipped 0.1% for the week, Eurozone shares fell 0.4% and Japanese shares lost 2.2%. Chinese shares managed to rise 3.4% from [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past weekWhile Japanese and Chinese shares fell again over the last week, US and European shares pushed higher helped by good economic data, a strong start to the US earnings reporting season, ongoing dovish comments from the Fed and tame bond yields. Reflecting the strong US lead, strong local data on confidence and jobs and a bit of catch-up Australian shares rose to a new bull market high and are now less than 2% [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week While Japanese and Chinese shares fell over the last week, US shares rose to a new record high helped by strong data, stimulus optimism and dovish comments from the Fed and Eurozone shares also rose solidly. Reflecting the strong US lead, RBA dovishness and playing catch up after underperforming the previous week the Australian share market rose sharply to a new bull market high with particularly strong gains in IT, material, [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week While US shares fell fractionally over the last week despite a bounce in tech stocks, Eurozone, Japanese and Chinese shares rose. Australian shares also fell fractionally over the last week with strong gains in industrial and material shares being offset by weakness in utilities, energy, retail and health care stocks. Bond yields generally rose slightly but metal, iron ore and oil prices fell with the latter down on forecasts for reduced [...]

Investment markets and key developments over the past week Market sentiment was more cautious this week on concern about the economic reopening from rising COVID-19 cases and vaccine delays. Seasonal impacts affect sharemarkets as well and quarter-end profit taking may also be contributing to sharemarket weakness. US shares on the S&P500 were just negative over the week at -0.1% while the heavier tech NASDAQ index was down by 1.8%. NASDAQ shares are now down by nearly 8% since a peak [...]