Australian equities

ASX down 0.5%, reporting season peaks, Coles (ASX:COL), Woolworths (ASX:WOW) sold off The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) fell 0.5% on what was one of the busiest days of reporting season, with 20 companies releasing either half-year or quarterly updates. The consumer staples sector was the biggest detractor, falling 3.5% on fears that recent trends will slow, with the property sector…

ASX hits 11-month high, BHP (ASX:BHP) delivers record dividend, Ansell (ASX:ANN) riding the COVID wave  The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) reached an 11-month high and is now nearing 7,000 points once again, with the energy and materials sectors powering the recovery. Zip Co. (ASX:Z1P) continued its stellar 2021 run, adding 10.0% and taking the year-to-date gain to 160%. The company…

Lockdown 3.0, ASX finishes 0.5% lower, Baby Bunting (ASX:BBN) riding COVID-19 boom The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished 0.6% lower on Friday, dragging the market to 0.5% for the week. The news of the day was the snap five-day lockdown in Victoria, which naturally sent the industrials sector to significant losses, Qantas (ASX:QAN) fell 4.8% and Webjet (ASX:WEB) 3.9%. Over the week, it…

ASX higher, Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) dividend boost, Lend Lease (ASX:LLC) CEO leaves, Crown Ltd (ASX:CWN) has an uncertain future The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished 0.5% higher, with every sector but consumer discretionary adding to returns. IT was once again the standout with both Afterpay Ltd (ASX:APT) and Zip Co (ASX:Z1P) hitting all-time highs as BNPL valuations took another leap forward. Whilst reported…

Earnings season begins, Challenger (ASX:CGF) reverses recent gains, Crown Ltd (ASX:CWN) locked out The ASX200 fell 0.9% as reality sets in after what had been an incredibly strong few weeks. Every sector finished lower lead by yield plays in property and utilities, off 2.1% and 1.4% respectively. All eyes will be on Crown Ltd (ASX:CWN) once it recommences trading after…

ASX down on Victorian outbreak, Origin (ASX:ORG) and AGL Energy (ASX:AGL) downgrade, record trade surplus The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) broke its three day run, falling 0.9% due to a combination of weaker global markets and an unexpected outbreak from hotel quarantine in Victoria. Every sector finished lower, but property (-2.4%) utilities (-2.0%) and energy (-1.2%) were among the…

ASX heads higher, UK regulator reviews BNPL sector, Jeff Bezos standing down as Amazon (NYSE:AMZN) CEO The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) delivered a third straight day of gains, finishing 0.9% higher, with the rally broad-based but driven mainly by the banking and property sector which were 1.5% and 2.6% higher respectively. The oil price also hit a 12-month high…

ASX overcomes early falls, silver next in line for day traders, Worley (ASX:WOR) downgrade The ASX200 fell over 1% at the open following a weak overseas lead but managed to finish 0.8% higher for the day, bringing back memories of the 2020 daily swings. Most sectors finished higher, with healthcare the standout after CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) benefitted from a…

Swings and roundabouts, ASX to open lower, Kogan (ASX:KGN) smashed to finish the week The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) finished January 0.3% higher, the third straight positive month, despite swinging from a 1.2% gain to a 0.6% loss on Friday. Over the week it was the materials and energy sectors, down 7.0% and 10.6% respectively, which placed the greatest…

Markets go risk off for a day, trading mayhem continues, Fortescue Metals (ASX:FMG) record production The ASX200 (ASX:XJO) dropped at the open after a negative lead from the US, ultimately finishing down 1.9% for the day; the worst in several months. 90% of companies fell, with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX:URW) a rare outperforming jumping 14.5%. The growth favourites were among the…