The S&P/ASX 200 finished marginally higher up +0.1%, with 8 of the 11 sectors finishing in the green. The marginal rise was influenced by gains in healthcare stocks, whilst losses were noted in consumer staples, utilities, and technology companies. Consumer Staples (-.8%) was the worst performing sector in the Australian market, influenced by supermarket chains Woolworths -1.3%, Coles -0.9% and IGA…
Interest rates were never meant to be so low for so long. Wattle Partners principal Drew Meredith ponders whether the hangover has some investors lagging; are too many hanging onto risky assets, when low-risk returns are so easy to find?
The local share market posted another strong day, adding 0.7 per cent, as news of the Federal Reserve potentially pausing rate hikes boosted the property and technology sectors; up 3.3 and 2.2 per cent respectively. The likes of Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) and Scentre (ASX:CSG) gained 2.7 and 4.4 per cent each, on hopes that valuations…
The local share market managed a 0.9 per cent gain, taking it to a five month high on the back of another confirmation of falling price levels and inflation. The materials sector was the standout, prior to Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) delivering a strong quarterly update, gaining 1.8 per cent, while financials also added 1.1 per…
News that the Chinese government was committed to supporting a slowing economy with economic stimulus were enough to drive both the All Ordinaries (ASX:XAO) and S&P/ASX200 (ASX:XJO) to a 0.5 per cent gain. Both the materials and energy sectors did all the heavy lifting, gaining 2.7 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively. It was…
Weakness in the technology sector drove local shares lower on Friday, with the S&P/ASX200 (ASX:XJO) and All Ordinaries (ASX:XAO) both dropping 0.2 per cent on Friday. Despite this the 200 managed to finish the week in positive territory with a 0.2 per cent gain, driven by a recovery in the financial sector, up 2.7 per…
Positive earnings surprises continue to outweigh the negative, with the likes of Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) and Nuix (ASX:NXL) gaining strongly after offering updates to the market. The S&P/ASX200 (ASX:XJO) gained just 1 point, with the financials and technology sectors the key drivers, adding 0.4 per cent respectively. News that unemployment remained fixed at 3.5 per…
Investors and advisers have a tendency to extrapolate recent events into the future, and the last six months have shown how dangerous this can be. For those reviewing and building portfolios as the new financial year begins, five key issues should be front of mind.
Local markets were buoyed by an improving global economic backdrop and the flow through of some positive corporate results. The energy and financial sectors drove the market, adding 1.7 and 1.5 per cent respectively, with the former benefitting from an earnings upgrade from Ampol (ASX:ALD). Management now expect earnings of $800 million in the first…
Mixed messages from bond markets and the Reserve Bank sent both the All Ordinaries (ASX:XAO) and S&P/ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finishing 0.2 per cent lower. The property and industrial sectors sank by 1.6 and 1.2 per cent respectively after the release of the latest round of RBA minutes that suggested further rate hikes were likely despite clear…