Australian Shares

by Chris Becker Asian markets are in a flux as traders wait for more staid and stable speeches from Jackson Hole later in the week.

By Chris Becker   Impatience and uncertainty are creeping into markets with a volatile reaction to Trump’s NAFTA and government shutdown statements over is ridiculous Mexican wall  last night.

by Chris Becker What was supposed to be a risk-on day was spoiled somewhat by a Trump speech which included equal amounts of rhetoric and “I can’t believe he just said that”, sending the USD higher on concerns about trade.

No Wall St rally for you!

By Chris Becker   Risk on as tensions ease both in the US and Korea’s, with the Trump administrations embiggened war in Afghanistan plus hope for a tax reform legislative agenda help prop up US stocks.

by Chris Becker Outside Japan its been a fairly positive day here in Asia with most stock markets advancing following the tepid mood overnight on Wall Street and Europe.

By Chris Becker   Overnight markets wobbled into the first session of the week with European shares selling off, the US dollar also retreating while US bourses barely recovered to make scratch sessions.

And why wouldn’t they, sheesh, from Banking Day: Institutional shareholders are reviewing their equity exposures to Commonwealth Bank amid deepening concern that the valuation premium on the company’s stock will continue to erode.

by Chris Becker The week begins meekly with a mixed reaction to Wall Street’s sombre Friday session.

by Chris Becker In case you were wondering why the ASX200 hasn’t gone anywhere in recent weeks, reporting season is underway for end of year financial results.

By Chris Becker  Volatility continues across risk markets, this time shifting from the North Korean tensions to the Trump tensions, namely the realisation that the Republican Congress ability to enact any meaningful legislation is evaporating.

by Chris Becker Definitely risk off here in Asia today to finish the week on a low as stocks follow the poor overnight lead coming from the Spanish terrorist attack and the derailed Trump administration.

Via UBS: Reporting Season Progress Report Underwhelming Guidance Sees FY18 Estimates Crimped So far 73 members of the ASX200 have officially reported (47 large caps and 26 small caps).

By Chris Becker   Markets ran for safe havens overnight in the wake of an awful terrorist attack in Spain and the realisation that yes, the US president is nuts and he’s not going anywhere or will get anything substantive done by a now impotent Republican Congress.

by Chris Becker A very mixed day in Asia after what looked like a good lead overnight from risk markets, with response to the dovish Fed minutes muted by resumed Korean tensions and a burgeoning Yen.

The commodity pain trade is roaring upwards today with iron ore off the hook up 6%: Big Iron is pretty circumspect about it: Big Gas is weak, notably so when one reads all of the positive guff coming from brokers: Big Gold is hot as it signals more USD weakness.

By Chris Becker   Coo coo catchoo.

by Chris Becker Following last night’s tepid lead from overnight markets Asian traders are looking at each other and wondering if they should continue on with the bounce from Monday, given the seemingly reduced risk over the Korean peninsula.

The gas cartel is in full swing this week.

I am not very interested in Dominoes as a business per se.

By Chris Becker   The USD led the charge overnight as advanced retail sales surprised to the upside, sending bond yields higher on even firmer expectations of another rate hike from the Federal Reserve before the year is out.