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Before making any investment decision, you should consult your adviser.
Market Opener – 18 Apr 2019
Local Markets Commentary
The Australian market opens for the last trading day before the Easter long weekend ahead of key domestic data and following weak overnight international equities sentiment.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics releases March employment figures, including job creation and wages growth, 11.30am AEST.
Stocks trading ex-dividend today include KGN and NHC. Please see p4 for a detailed list.
In mixed overnight commodities trade, oil turned lower, but Brent crude only slightly so.
US gold futures (June) settled essentially flat.
Iron ore (China port, 62% Fe) fell further, below $US93.3/t.
LME copper rallied. Nickel and aluminium continued to decline.
The $A was pushed back to ~US71.80c after approaching US72.00c early yesterday evening.
The ASX will be closed tomorrow and Monday next week, due to Easter.
The ASX will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
Friday 19 April CLOSED
Monday 22 April CLOSED
Tuesday 23 April OPEN
Wednesday 24 April OPEN
Thursday 25 April CLOSED
Friday 26 April OPEN
The Australian Bureau of Statistics releases March employment figures, including job creation and wages growth, 11.30am AEST.
Stocks trading ex-dividend today include KGN and NHC. Please see p4 for a detailed list.
In mixed overnight commodities trade, oil turned lower, but Brent crude only slightly so.
US gold futures (June) settled essentially flat.
Iron ore (China port, 62% Fe) fell further, below $US93.3/t.
LME copper rallied. Nickel and aluminium continued to decline.
The $A was pushed back to ~US71.80c after approaching US72.00c early yesterday evening.
The ASX will be closed tomorrow and Monday next week, due to Easter.
The ASX will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday next week.
Friday 19 April CLOSED
Monday 22 April CLOSED
Tuesday 23 April OPEN
Wednesday 24 April OPEN
Thursday 25 April CLOSED
Friday 26 April OPEN
Overseas Market Commentary
Vacillating trade featured across major European and US equities markets overnight, amid mixed corporate earnings reports and outlooks, following data that supported various views of international economic progress, and as US health care stocks fell for a second consecutive session on Democrat health system revamp plans.
In addition, a media report claimed a date had been pencilled in for the resumption of face-to-face high-level US-China trade talks, and that a May-June agreement remained possible.
Other reports, some post-US trade, showed North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un overseeing new weapon testing.
Earlier yesterday, China had reported 6.4% year-on-year March quarter GDP growth, but just 1.4% for the three months.
In US data releases, March trade figures surprised, the deficit falling to $US49.4B from $US51.1B, the least in a year.
Exports rose by 1.1% to $US209.7B, against imports which climbed 0.2% to $US259.1B.
February wholesale inventories rose by 0.2% for the month, following a 1.2% January increase.
The Federal Reserve’s district-by-district economic round-up (beige book) indicated slight-moderate general growth, with wages increasing at a modest rate and the number of appropriately skilled workers remaining short of demand.
Weekly mortgage applications fell 3.5% after dropping 5.6% the previous week.
The UK’s March CPI growth slowed to 0.2% from 0.5% in February. Year-on-year, inflation was 1.9% higher, as it was for February.
A final March CPI reading for the euro zone came in a 1% growth for the month, following a 0.3% rise in February. Year-on-year, inflation was running at just 1.4%, against 1.5% for February.
February’s regional trade surplus jumped to €17.9B from €1.8B.
Meanwhile in Germany, yields for a 30-year bond auction fell to 0.68% from the previous 0.74%.
Tonight in the US, March retail sales, the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index, weekly new unemployment claims, a leading index, Markit’s initial April PMI estimates and February business inventories are due.
Stocks scheduled to report earnings or provide trading updates include: Accor, American Express, Honeywell, Nestlé, PPG Industries, Prudential, PZ Cussons, Reliance Industries, Schlumberger, Taiwan Semiconductor, Travelers and Unilever.
BAE Systems and Reckitt Benckiser trade ex-dividend on the FTSE 100.
NB Major European and US markets will be closed tomorrow for Easter.
Major European markets will remain closed Monday, but US markets will reopen.
In addition, a media report claimed a date had been pencilled in for the resumption of face-to-face high-level US-China trade talks, and that a May-June agreement remained possible.
Other reports, some post-US trade, showed North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un overseeing new weapon testing.
Earlier yesterday, China had reported 6.4% year-on-year March quarter GDP growth, but just 1.4% for the three months.
In US data releases, March trade figures surprised, the deficit falling to $US49.4B from $US51.1B, the least in a year.
Exports rose by 1.1% to $US209.7B, against imports which climbed 0.2% to $US259.1B.
February wholesale inventories rose by 0.2% for the month, following a 1.2% January increase.
The Federal Reserve’s district-by-district economic round-up (beige book) indicated slight-moderate general growth, with wages increasing at a modest rate and the number of appropriately skilled workers remaining short of demand.
Weekly mortgage applications fell 3.5% after dropping 5.6% the previous week.
The UK’s March CPI growth slowed to 0.2% from 0.5% in February. Year-on-year, inflation was 1.9% higher, as it was for February.
A final March CPI reading for the euro zone came in a 1% growth for the month, following a 0.3% rise in February. Year-on-year, inflation was running at just 1.4%, against 1.5% for February.
February’s regional trade surplus jumped to €17.9B from €1.8B.
Meanwhile in Germany, yields for a 30-year bond auction fell to 0.68% from the previous 0.74%.
Tonight in the US, March retail sales, the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index, weekly new unemployment claims, a leading index, Markit’s initial April PMI estimates and February business inventories are due.
Stocks scheduled to report earnings or provide trading updates include: Accor, American Express, Honeywell, Nestlé, PPG Industries, Prudential, PZ Cussons, Reliance Industries, Schlumberger, Taiwan Semiconductor, Travelers and Unilever.
BAE Systems and Reckitt Benckiser trade ex-dividend on the FTSE 100.
NB Major European and US markets will be closed tomorrow for Easter.
Major European markets will remain closed Monday, but US markets will reopen.