Australian Shares

Asian stock markets have fallen sharply in response to the poor showing on Wall Street on Friday night as the US bond yield curve inversion and the growing likelihood of a European recession weigh heavily.

The Australian dollar is grinding lower today as risk is spooked globally: Bonds remain heavily bid: Stocks have firmed for a mighty double top.

By Chris Becker  This may end up being the most important Trading Week of the year with the looming Brexit, the Mueller report fallout and ongoing concern over a European recession and US inverted yield curve combined with a big blowout in the US budget deficit.

Asian stock markets are likely to finish the week on a sour note as the expected Brexit extension from the EU plus some very modest inflation and economic figures from Japan combined to dampen overnight positive sentiment.

The AUD is still under pressure this afternoon: The bond boom knows no bounds: With 15 year yields at all-time lows below 2% for the first time in history: Such a poor outlook for yields has given XJO reason to resume some excitement: Big Iron is cheering: Big Gas is up.

Who knows?

By Chris Becker  A return to risk overnight with US stocks rebounding as the USD also took back gains following the reversal from the FOMC meeting fallout.

Asian markets are mixed today in response to the overnight FOMC Meeting with much higher undollar assets providing headwinds.

By Chris Becker  Key takeaway from the Fed Meeting overnight: USD and stocks down, undollar’s up.

Asian share markets are down again today with risk sentiment slumping both locally due to the dour speech by RBA Assistant Governor Bullock while regionally caution reigned as traders await tonight’s Federal Reserve FOMC meeting.

By Chris Becker  As the US/China trade talks look to resolve themselves soon, risk markets had a pause overnight with US stocks flat overnight while European equities rose sharply on the back of better than expected ZEW sentiment survey and UK job figures.

A generally poor session across stock markets here in Asia with a run to Yen not helping while the Aussie dollar remains elevated, pumping the brakes on any advance on the ASX200.

By Chris Becker  US stocks rose overnight while the fortunes for European equities diverged as the FTSE ran higher, the continent trailed as the lower Pound Sterling and the volatile Euro combined with traders waiting for this week’s FOMC meeting put some risk sentiment to rest.

Following the very positive finish on Wall Street on Friday night, risk markets here in Asia have popped higher, with the Australian dollar advancing strongly, albeit on the tightening yield spread with US Treasuries.

By Chris Becker  Looking at Chinese stocks first, where last week saw the Shanghai Composite followed its pause with a lower high, albeit finishing the week above the 3000 point level.

Today’s BOJ interest rate meeting came and went without much fuss, as Chinese markets were buoyed by higher house price growth.

By Chris Becker  US stocks stalled overnight as the USD firmed following another desperate night of Brexit drama which saw the UK Parliament ask for a delay, sending Pound Sterling down.

It was a mixed repsonse to the trifecta of Chinese internal economic data, slightly overshadowed by the Japanese government looking to downgrade its growth forecasts, which sent Yen falling against USD.

By Chris Becker  Despite the ongoing clusterf$%k that is Brexit, risk markets are all looking up with oil making a new weekly high while US stocks pushed to a four month high as the USD weakness continues to provide support.

Asian stock markets are fighting poorly against a risk off sentiment with the fallout from the failed Brexit deal last night in the UK still reverberating.

By Chris Becker  Brexit is dominating risk markets again, but an upbeat Wall Street – minus Boeing’s effect on the Dow – smoothed over the volatility, with Pound Sterling the only real casualty.

Asian stocks are doing well following the solid Wall Street lead with the USD still looking weak heading into tonights CPI print.

By Chris Becker  Risk appetite powered back overnight due to the better than expected US retail sales numbers, with tech stocks leading the way on Wall Street.

Asian stocks are mixed following the disappointing NFP print on Friday night, although it seems risk off has been priced in by most markets as the USD takes a breather.