Latest Market News

Semiconductors weigh on Nasdaq: All eyes on US reporting season

11 Oct 2022 - Stocks declined on Monday with the Nasdaq Composite index falling to the lowest level in two years as tech shares, which are sensitive to interest rate hikes, continue to be the hardest hit in this bear market. Shares of semiconductor companies fell overnight, with the industry selling off globally after fresh US curbs on China’s access to American technology added to a disappointing start to the earnings season, stoking concern that the industry's downturn is...

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Jobs report points to further US rate rises: Semiconductor sector hit hardest

10 Oct 2022 - Stocks fell Friday as traders evaluated September’s jobs report, which showed the unemployment rate continuing to decline and sparked an increase in interest rates concern. The unemployment rate came in at 3.5 per cent, down from the 3.7 per cent in the previous month in a sign that the jobs picture continues to strengthen even as the Federal Reserve tries to slow the economy with rate hikes to stem inflation.

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Oil stocks lead weaker markets: Australia set to be lithium leader

06 Oct 2022 - US stocks fell on Wednesday as Wall Street failed to hold on to the sharp gains from the last two sessions. Investors are now wondering whether the market has become too optimistic about the potential for a central bank policy pivot, especially as recent Fedspeak has not deviated from raise-and-hold/higher-for-longer messaging.

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S&P500 hits new 2022 low as UK the focus of economic turmoil

30 Sep 2022 - Stocks resumed their 2022 sell-off on Thursday, sending the S&P 500 to a new low for the year, as fears swirled that a recession won’t stop the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates. The market was fairly quiet from a headline perspective. UK Prime Minister Truss defended her government's unfunded tax cuts and stressed it was not time to reverse course despite market turmoil.

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Unprecedented Bank of England intervention avoids Lehman style event

29 Sep 2022 - The Dow Jones Industrial Average mounted a big comeback from its 2022 low as the Bank of England said it would buy bonds to stabilise its financial markets, the bank stressed it was not seeking to lower long-term government borrowing costs. Instead it sought to buy time to prevent a vicious circle in which pension funds have to sell gilts immediately to meet demands for cash.

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$US strength remains the dominant theme

28 Sep 2022 - US equities were mixed in fairly choppy Tuesday trading, closing off the worst levels, with the dominant theme the strength of the US dollar. As inflation plays out across the globe the intervention of central banks has been co-ordinated. With the Fed’s tightening ahead of its peers in the high-income countries causing the $US to surge. The most important question investors are now asking is whether monetary tightening could go too far. Either way what...

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Surging $US playing havoc with financial markets and global trade

27 Sep 2022 - US equities sank as the US dollar hit a record high against the British pound, adding volatility to markets already concerned with inflation, rising interest rates, and a possible recession. It appears the turmoil is continuing in the currency markets with the Federal Reserve’s aggressive hiking campaign, coupled with the UK’s tax cuts announced last week that has caused the US dollar to surge.

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