Markets

Losses grew larger in late trade, with the market weighed down by a 2.2% fall in the materials sector. Investors sold off Rio Tinto shares, after its first half earnings results came in slightly weaker than analyst forecasts.

The Australian sharemarket is a touch softer at mid-session, after gaining 1.4% in July. The ASX 200 is down 0.10%, held back by a 0.7% decline in the financial sector.

After rising for a fourth straight month in July, the local sharemarket had a lacklustre start to August, easing by 0.10%. Banks were the main weight, while mining stocks outperformed.

US sharemarkets rose on Tuesday on reports that the US and China may re-start trade talks. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said "there continues to be quiet conversations" on CNBC.

The ASX 200 is up 0.10% today, as gains from energy, telco, financial and mining stocks outweigh losses in the IT, Healthcare and Consumer Discretionary sectors.

US sharemarkets declined due to a sell-off in technology shares with the Nasdaq posting its third consecutive loss of 1% for the first time in almost 3 years. Shares of Facebook and Netflix fell between 2.2% and 5.7%.

The Australian sharemarket has climbed 1.4% in July, adding to the 3% gain recorded in June. The improvement was thanks to a 7.9% surge in the Telco sector, and stronger industrials, financial & healthcare stocks.

IT stocks are under pressure on Monday, following heavy falls in US tech stocks last week, led by Facebook. The ASX 200 is down 33 points or 0.5% to 6,266.

US sharemarkets fell on Friday with technology weaker after a number of company earnings results failed to meet expectations. After releasing earnings results, shares in Intel fell by 8.6% while Twitter lost 20.5%.

The ASX 200 has closed down 0.3%, having been down as much as 0.5% in early trade. The telco sector outperformed, rising 1.7%, helping to limit the losses.

US sharemarkets were mixed on Thursday. Shares in Facebook fell by 19%, wiping around $110 billion off capitalisation, in response to a disappointing earnings result.

The local sharemarket has surged 0.9% on Friday, helping recoup losses recorded earlier in the week. BHP shares rallied on the back of news it’s sold its US shale oil & gas assets for $US10.8 billion.

US sharemarkets were mixed on Thursday. Shares in Facebook fell by 19%, wiping around $110 billion off capitalisation, in response to a disappointing earnings result.

The local sharemarket is a touch weaker at mid-session. The focus today is on news that Nine Entertainment and Fairfax are planning a $4 billion merger to create an integrated media giant.

US sharemarkets rose sharply in late trade on Wednesday with the Dow Jones news agency reporting that the European Union (EU) had agreed to ease industrial tariffs.

Fairfax shares jumped 8.4% today on news it’s merging with Nine Entertainment to create an integrated media giant. NEC shares dropped 10%.

The Australian sharemarket has shrugged off a positive lead from Wall Street, giving back some of yesterday’s gains. The ASX 200 is down 0.3%, held back by falls from Woolies & Wesfarmers as well as the major healthcare stocks.

The Dow Jones rose for the first time in four sessions thanks to strong results from Alphabet and other US listed companies. Commodity prices jumped on a softer greenback with BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto in London surging between 4.5-6%.

Investors sold off healthcare, telco and consumer staples stocks today, sending the market down 0.3%. Miners outperformed, following a rise in base metals prices overnight.

US sharemarkets were mixed on Monday. Bank shares rose on the back of rising interest rates as the 10-year US Treasury yield rose. Bank of America (+2.1%) and JPMorgan Chase (+1.9%)

US sharemarkets were mixed on Monday. Bank shares rose on the back of rising interest rates as the 10-year US Treasury yield rose. Bank of America (+2.1%) and JPMorgan Chase (+1.9%)

The Australian sharemarket has regained some of yesterday’s losses, closing up 0.6%. Healthcare, mining & consumer staples stocks led the improvements.

The ASX 200 is down 0.9% at the mid-session to start the week, with the majority of sectors deeply in the red. The materials and financials are the main weights and among the largest decliners, The energy sector is outperforming and trading flat.

US sharemarkets eased slightly on Friday. Shares in General Electric fell by 4.4% after trimming its cash flow target.

The ASX 200 fell 0.9% on Monday, with all sectors bar energy in negative territory. The materials and financial sectors weighed most on the broader market. Crop protection company, Nufarm (NUF) fell heavily, by 11% on a revised earnings update.

The ASX 200 is up 0.2% at mid-session, helped by gains from the financials. The materials sector is the lone decliner, following a drop in commodities prices overnight.

US sharemarkets declined on Thursday after President Trump’s criticism of the US Federal Reserve and some disappointing earnings results.

The ASX 200 rose 0.4% on Friday, notching up a third positive finish this week. The materials sector though dropped 1.1% in response to weaker commodity prices.

The ASX 200 is up 0.3% to 6,265 points at lunch with a majority of sectors moving higher. A host of companies in the energy and mining sectors have released quarterly updates while strong Australian June unemployment data boosts the Aussie dollar.

US sharemarkets lifted on Wednesday, boosted by earnings results. Morgan Stanley shares rose by 1.8% after the bank reported a strong quarterly profit.

The local market has closed out a second straight session in positive territory with the ASX 200 finishing 18 points or 0.3% higher on banks & miners. Afterpay Touch was the standout among the top 200 stocks, surging 24% on strong sales for FY18.

The ASX 200 is up 0.6% at mid-session, lifted higher by strong gains from the mining, healthcare and financial stocks. A positive lead from Wall Street has also helped lift sentiment.

US sharemarkets lifted on Tuesday following Fed Chair Powell’s optimistic comments about the US economy and supportive earnings results.

BHP Billiton shares jumped 3.3% today after the miner released strong production results for the full year. That helped the ASX 200 break a two-session slump. The index closed up 0.7%.

The local sharemarket is being weighed down by heavy falls in the energy sector after the price of crude oil dropped 4% overnight. The ASX 200 is down 14 points or 0.2% to 6,227.

US sharemarkets were mixed as investors weighed earnings results against trade tensions. The falling oil price weighed on shares of Chevron (-1.0%) and Exxon Mobil (-1.2%). But Amazon (+0.5%).

The Australian sharemarket was weighed down by falls in the energy and materials sectors today. The ASX 200 closed down 37 points or 0.6% to 6,203.

The financial sector is adding to last week’s losses, weighing on the local bourse. The ASX 200 is down 0.3% or 17 points to 6,334.

US sharemarkets rose on Friday with the S&P500 index above 2,800 points for the first time since February 1. Amazon (+0.9%), Facebook (+0.2%) and Microsoft (+1.2%) hit fresh record highs.

The Australian sharemarket has kicked off the week in negative territory, slipping 0.40%. Healthcare stocks were the worst performers, while investors sold off the banks amid increasing concerns about rising funding costs.