Australian Shares

By Chris Becker  Here comes the Fed with more punch to revive this boring party!

Stocks in Asia are again under pressure following the poor lead from Wall Street, but also from a slump in trade figures in Japan, sending Japanese stocks falling as Yen gained against USD.

By Chris Becker  The US earnings season is putting several headwinds in the way of an ever-rising stock market with US bourses falling overnight in disappointment.

Stocks in Asia are flat again with only the ASX200 putting in a positive performance as concerns over Trump’s mishandling of the trade war with China rise again.

By Chris Becker  The US earnings season has had a hiccup as Trump puts his foot in his mouth again with a threat of more tariffs on China, while a missive to start negotiating with the Iranians has seen the oil price drop over 2% as the USD lifted.

Stocks in Asia are mixed again with the return of Japanese stocks as the USD gains strength against most of the major currencies, particularly Yen, although Kiwi keeps on as its CPI print comes in as expected.

By Chris Becker  The latest US earnings season has started, and while the headline Dow is up, the broader S&P500 is treading water as US interest rates continue to fall.

Stocks in Asia are mixed with the lack of trading in Japan because of yet another holiday but also due to the latest Chinese GDP print which showed a slowing trend, but an economy still powering ahead with industrial production and retail sales figures much higher than expected.

Via Zero Hedge: What’s driving the equity rally?

By Chris Becker  Friday night saw US shares advance even further as the prospect of the Fed cutting rates firmed, while the USD lost ground against all the undollars except gold.

Stocks in Asia have generally pushed higher following the record highs on Wall Street overnight with the USD still selling off against the undollars as traders readjust to the Fed’s dovish stance.

By Chris Becker  A big spike in US interest rates overnight still couldn’t hold back the Dow making a new record high, although the broader S&P500 failed to get over 3000 points again.

Stocks in Asia have pushed higher with the USD sold off against the undollars as traders readjust to the Fed’s dovish stance following Fed Chair Powell’s testimony to Congress last night.

By Chris Becker  It was an easy night for short USD traders as Fed chief Powell reiterated the central banks dovish stance, sending interest rates and King Dollar down and lifting stock markets and commodities.

Stocks in Asia remain unsettled as traders await Fed Chair Powell’s testimony to Congress tonight, with some optimism sneaking through particularly locally as the Australian dollar goes lower again.

By Chris Becker  Overnight markets were effectively sidelined by traders waiting for Fed Chairman Powell’s testimony with European stocks retreating while US stocks put in some minor gains, led by tech issues on the NASDAQ.

Stocks in Asia are still unsettled although Japanese stocks are holding up due to a much weaker Yen.

By Chris Becker  US stocks gapped down on the open and remained in the red all session in response to the weak session in Asia, with European bourses barely keeping afloat as well.

Hope is not a good enough driver for risk markets, with Friday nights’ US unemployment print dashing expectations of sooner and larger rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

By Chris Becker  The biggest event on the economic calendar – US unemployment or non-farm payrolls (NFP) – on Friday night shook up risk markets as the strong print markedly reduced expectations of further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

The Shanghai Composite is setting the mood here in Asia by treading water around a tight range, although it briefly dipped below the 3000 point barrier earlier in the session it looks sit to finish a very dull week indeed.

Cross posted from The Conversation by Jason Pallant Lecturer of Marketing, Swinburne University of Technology The Woolworths Group proclaims it celebrates “family-friendly values”.

By Chris Becker  With US markets closed for a holiday, other risk assets still pushed higher in their absence with German bond yields now at a record low and matching the ECBs negative deposit rate.

Share markets in Asia were mixed despite a very strong from overnight markets as traders weigh up the closed US session and the following NFP print on Friday night.