Markets

US sharemarkets ended slightly lower as investors dissected profit results. Shares in General Electric lost 2.8% after reporting a slide in profit. But shares in Honeywell rose 1% to a record high after it raised its profit forecast.

The ASX 200 fell 0.6% on Monday to 5,688, with investors selling off financial and energy stocks.

The ASX 200 fell 0.7% on Friday to 5,722, held down by falls in the energy, materials and financial sectors.

US sharemarkets ended mixed on Thursday. Shares in Sears rose 10.6% after it said it would sell its Kenmore home appliances on Amazon.com. But shares in Home Depot fell by 4.1%. The Dow Jones fell by 29 points or 0.1%.

The ASX 200 is down 0.7% at mid-session, held back by falls from resource & banking stocks. The telco & consumer discretionary sectors are outperforming, with both sectors tracking higher.

The ASX 200 is up 33 points or 0.6% – helped higher by gains from financial and energy stocks. Employment data out this morning shows full-time jobs rose by 115,400 over the past two months – the biggest gain in almost 30 years.

US sharemarkets posted firm gains on Thursday with key indexes at or near record highs. Shares in Morgan Stanley rose by 3.3% after reporting better-than-expected earnings. But shares in IBM fell 4.2% after the company reported earnings.

The ASX 200 closed up 0.5%, boosted again by strong gains from the financial sector.

Global equities rallied last week following Janet Yellen’s comments suggesting that the pace of rate normalisation will be more gradual than some had anticipated.

US sharemarkets were mixed on Tuesday as investors reacted to earnings season and the collapse of the US Senate healthcare bill. The Dow was dragged lower by a 2.6% drop in Goldman Sachs on disappointing commodity and bond trading revenue. However the Nasdaq hit fresh intra-day record highs after Netflix rallied by 14% following upbeat earnings.

Financial stocks rallied today after new requirements announced by banking regulator APRA weren’t as strict as expected. The ASX 200 finished up 0.8% or 44 points to 5,732.

The ASX 200 is up 39 points or 0.7% – boosted by a rally in the financial sector. Investors are cheering after the banking regulators new requirements for lenders were not as strict as expected.

The local share market is under pressure with investors selling off financial and consumer-related stocks. Every sector is losing ground, with the ASX 200 down 0.9%. The Aussie dollar though has received a boost from the latest RBA Board Minutes.

US sharemarkets were largely flat as gains in utilities and consumer stocks were offset by declines in healthcare. Traders waited on a number of key earnings after the close.

The ASX 200 has fallen back below the 5,700 point mark, slipping 1.2% today. The local currency though is trading around 79.2 US cents, boosted by the release of RBA Board Minutes which showed members are cautiously optimistic about the economy.

Losses in telco, financial and consumer-related stocks are weighing on the market on Monday. The ASX 200 is down 0.10% to 5,758.

US sharemarkets posted firm gains on Friday with generally softer economic data serving to scale bank prospects for a near-term rate hike. After releasing earnings results, shares in Citigroup fell by 0.4%, Wells Fargo lost 1.1% and JPMorgan Chase lost 0.9%.

The ASX 200 has slipped 0.2% on Monday, held down by falls in the financial and telco sectors. The Aussie dollar was in focus, after the currency hit a two year high against the Greenback.

The Australian sharemarket is adding to Thursday’s improvements, with 150 of the 200 biggest companies higher and all sectors in positive territory. Energy stocks are standouts following strength in oil prices.

US sharemarkets posted more modest gains on Thursday. There is key economic data to be released on Friday together with earnings from Citigroup, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan.

The Australian sharemarket rose by 0.5% on Friday and 1% this week. Equities remain volatile and directionless with gains being reversed quickly by markets. Programmed (PRG) was a standout, rising 65% thanks to a takeover.

US sharemarkets posted solid gains in response to the “dovish” or less aggressive monetary stance adopted by the Federal Reserve chair. The Dow Jones rose by 123 points or 0.6%.

A dovish testimony to congress from Janet Yellen spurred stocks higher on Thursday – most companies belonging to the ASX 200 improved.

Australian shares are off to a strong start on Thursday, with the ASX 200 index up 0.9% and 90% of companies lifting. Central banks were in focus overnight

The Australian market is in negative territory for the first time since last Friday, with the ASX 200 down ~0.8%. Around 85% of companies are losing ground with mining stocks the only improvers.

US sharemarkets finished mixed. Stocks fell in early trade after President Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Junior, released an email chain referring to a meeting held with a Russian lawyer.

The Australian sharemarket fell for the first time since last Friday and hit a three-week low in the process. 85% of companies finished in negative territory. Slater & Gordon (SGH) and Adairs (ADH) were two of the better performers.

Local shares have seen mixed trade on Tuesday, with the ASX recovering early losses and not been able to hold subsequent improvements.

US sharemarkets finished mixed on Monday. Retailers recorded the largest declines together with healthcare, offset by gains in the technology sector. Investors braced for the start of earnings season.

The ASX 200 ended a volatile session with a small gain with most sectors lower. Gains for banks ,energy and mining names kept the index in positive territory , albeit by a small margin.

US sharemarkets posted firm gains on Friday. Better-than-expected job gains gave investors confidence about the state of the economy. The Dow Jones rose by 94 points or 0.4% with the S&P 500 up by 0.6% and the Nasdaq gained 64 points or 1.0%. Over the week the Dow rose 0.3%, the S&P 500 rose 0.1% and the Nasdaq rose by 0.2%.

Australian shares finished the day a little higher while fading from their best levels of the day. The ASX 200 rose by 0.4% and was supported most by banks.

Better than expected US jobs data has helped local shares move ahead on Monday. Most ASX sectors were higher with the exception of Materials and Real Estate. Banks were the foundation for the gains.

US sharemarkets fell on Thursday following the disappointing labour market data and the prospect of more hawkish global central bank policy.

The local share market has fallen 1.0% on Friday, following falls on global markets overnight. Over the week, the index is down 0.3%.

The local share market is under pressure following falls on global markets overnight. The ASX 200 is down 71 points or 1.2% to 5,687.

The local share market is extending yesterday’s losses, held down by heavy falls in the financial and energy sectors. The ASX 200 is down about 0.3% at mid-session.