Another solid day with the ASX 200 up 27 points to 8178 (+0.3%). NAB (+1.6%) results helped, but the news of Bessent heading for a Swiss showdown with Chinese counterparties on trade, popped US futures higher and commodity stocks were back on. China also cut rates. BHP up 0.9% with RIO up 0.6%. Gold miners were solid on bullion’s rise, SPR up 0.9%, and VAU doing better, up 3.3%. NST fell 2.6% though with WGX up 2.9%. Lithium stocks better, LTR up 7.8% on WA loans, PLS rallied 4.8% and MIN up 2.6%. LYC slipped as US/China relations improved. Oil and gas stocks also bounced. WDS up 1.7% and STO up 2.0%. Uranium stocks were once again in demand as shorts continue to cover, BOE updated the market and ran hard, up 12.4%. PDN up 4.4%. Banks stalled with the Big Bank Basket flat at $263.60. NAB (+1.6%) the standout and CBA (-0.5%) the problem child. Other financials doing well. MQG rose 0.9% despite news from ASIC on serious breaches. ASX up 2.5% and PNI up 4.3%. ZIP presented at the Macquarie conference and rose 13.0%. Industrials were mixed, CSL fell 3.0% with TLX down too but RMD up 0.9%. REITs were positive. Tech slipped, XRO down 0.3% and WTC off 0.4%. The index slipping 0.2%. Retail recovered from early JBH losses, PMV up 2.6% and TPW on an update rose 8.0%.
In corporate news, no real bad news from Macquarie Conference. NXL slammed 16.0% on an uncertain update, KLS ran hard, up 18.3%, on a positive briefing. On the economic front, all eyes on the Fed and China stimulated again with more rate cuts.
Asian markets slightly positive. Japan up 0.5%. 10-year yields steady at 4.29%. Dow futures up 0.5%, NASDAQ futures up 0.6%.
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