Markets

The ASX 200 has again closed near the best level of the day, as energy, mining and financial stocks rallied. The index finished the session up 79 points or 1.6% to 5,054.

Every sector is trading higher at mid-session, with Energy, Materials and Financial stocks leading the charge.

The ASX 200 is up 0.5% helped by gains in the Materials and Financial sectors. Energy stocks are retreating, losing some of yesterday’s gains.

US sharemarkets softened from highs in afternoon trade. There was caution ahead of the start of earnings season.

The ASX 200 has closed near the best level of the day, helped by strong gains from the banks and miners.

The ASX 200 is down 0.5% with almost all sectors suffering losses. The energy and IT sectors are bucking the trend.

US sharemarkets rose on Friday. A sharp lift in the oil price supported energy producers. And investors were comforted by soothing comments by the Federal Reserve chair that the US economy was on ‘a solid course’.

Losses in the financial and consumer staples sectors outweighed gains in the energy and materials sectors on Monday. The ASX 200 ended the session down 0.1%, off the day’s lows.

The ASX 200 is down 0.6% at mid-session and is on track to record its third straight weekly loss. Banks are the major weight on the index today.

US sharemarkets fell on Thursday, reversing the previous day’s gains. Financials and energy stocks led the declines. Shares in Verizon fell by 2.8% on reports that it had made an approach to buy some of Yahoo assets.

Losses in the financial and energy sectors weighed on the market on Friday. The ASX 200 slipped 26 points or 0.5%. Over the week, the index fell 1.2%, recording its third straight weekly decline.

Strong gains in the energy, financial and materials sectors are helping to lift the local share market on Thursday.

US sharemarkets rallied on Wednesday supported by gains in healthcare and energy stocks. Drug maker Pfizer rose 5% after walking away from its deal to buy Allergen.

Energy stocks rallied today on the back of a rise in global oil prices. Gains in the healthcare, materials and financial sectors also helped to support the market.

US sharemarkets fell on Tuesday in line with Asian and European markets. Traders said investors were booking profits ahead of the earnings season.

The local share market has finished a choppy session up 0.4%, helped by strong gains in the mining and energy sectors.

The ASX 200 has lost early gains and is trading down 12 points or 0.3%, held down by losses in the financial sector.

US sharemarkets fell modestly on Monday in thin trade. Shares in Virgin America rose by 41.7% after it agreed to be bought by Alaska Air.

The ASX 200 has closed down 1.4% amid heavy selling in the financial and materials sectors. Energy stocks were the hardest hit, with the sector dropping 3.8%.

The ASX 200 is down 1.1%, weighed down by heavy falls in the energy sector on the back of weaker global oil prices.

US sharemarkets posted firm gains with investors encouraged by the latest economic data.

The ASX 200 has closed down 0.1% as gains faded in afternoon trade. The index was weighed down by losses in the energy and materials sectors.

The ASX 200 is up 0.9% at mid-session to trade back above the 5,000 point level following a positive lead from Wall Street.

The ASX 200 has closed near the day’s lows, falling 83 points or 1.6% to close at 4,999. Every sector retreated, with Utilities leading the losses recording a 2.6% drop.

US sharemarkets ended mixed on the last day of the month and quarter. Investors were reluctant to take on new positions especially ahead of Friday’s pivotal jobs data. The Dow Jones ended lower by 32 points.

The ASX 200 has closed near the day’s lows, falling 83 points or 1.6% to close at 4,999. Every sector retreated, with Utilities leading the losses recording a 2.6% drop.

US sharemarkets lifted for a second day on expectations that interest rates will remain lower for longer. Shares in insurer Metlife rose 5.4% after a US district judge ruled that it wasn’t "too big to fail".

The ASX 200 has closed up 1.4% on Thursday to be up 4% over the month. However, since the start of 2016, the market has slipped 4%.

The ASX 200 is up 81 points or 1.6%, lifted by strong gains from the banks, miners and energy stocks.

US sharemarkets reversed early losses to post solid gains in Tuesday’s session. Technology shares led the advance but banks fell. The Dow Jones ended higher by 98 points.

Local shares remained under pressure on Tuesday afternoon with the ASX200 breaching the 5000 level for a time before ending marginally above the level at 5004. Healthcare was the biggest loser while Financials remained the biggest weight on the index.

The ASX 200 has closed up 0.10%, helped by a late recovery in the financial sector. Energy stocks were the worst performers, while healthcare stocks rallied.

The ASX 200 is trading a touch higher on Wednesday with the financial sector only just treading water. Gains in the materials sector are supporting supporting the market. While energy stocks are losing ground.

The residue of last week’s increase in provisions for the ANZ continues to cast a pall over bank stocks. Shares in Bellamy’s are being marked down as Chinese authorities ready themselves to tax purchases from foreign websites.

US sharemarkets ended mixed in thin trade on Monday. Traders await a speech by the US Federal Reserve chair, Janet Yellen, on Tuesday and employment data on Friday.

US sharemarkets fell on Wednesday, dragged lower by weakness in material stocks. Eight of the 10 major S&P sectors were weaker. The 4% slide in crude oil prices resulted in the S&P energy sector leading the declines, down 2.1%. Nike shares fell 3.5%.

The financial sector dropped 2.5% on Thursday after ANZ warned its bad & doubtful debt provisions will likely be $100mn more than previously flagged over the first half.

A 2% fall in the financial sector is hurting the market today, with the ASX 200 slipping 1.1%. The materials sector is also a drag, down 2.1%.

Falls in commodity prices are hurting the energy and materials sectors. The ASX 200 is down 0.6% at mid-session.

European shares initially fell on news of terror attacks in Belgium. An estimated 34 people were killed in two bomb blasts in Brussels. The STOXX Europe 600 Travel and Leisure index fell by 1.8%