The ASX 200 drifted 23 points lower to 8516 (0.3%) ahead of the long weekend. Broad based losses with some of the stars yesterday giving back gains today. Lithium stocks dropped back, PLS dropped 5.2% and IGO down 3.5% with rare earth stock also falling back, LYC down 1.2% and ILU off 3.8%. Gold miners were slippy today, GMD off 3.4% and EVN down 2.0% and RRL dropping 5.8%. Uranium stock easing back, oil stock better and coal doing better. Banks suffered slightly, CBA down 0.8% and ANZ off 0.4% with the Big Bank Basket down to $281.16 (0.2%). Financials also eased back, GQG off 1.9% and IFL down 3.6%. REITS slightly lower, Industrials also flat, WES down 0.5% and ALL off 1.1% with the tech sector slipping, XRO off 0.7% and WTC down 1.0% with the All-Tech Index off 0.9%. In corporate news, OBM dumped 14.1% on a production downgrade, QAN up 3.5% as Virgin confirmed strong demand for the upcoming IPO. Nothing on the economic front local, the AUD near a six-month high. Asian markets mixed again, Japan up 0.4% and HK off 0.4% with China flat. 10-year yields steady at 4.27%.

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Wall Street recorded a negative session as news of talks between Trump and Xi Jinping were overshadowed by the escalating feud between Trump and Musk. Musk has criticised Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for failing to slash enough government expenditure while Trump has threatened to cut many of Musk’s government contracts. S&P 500 down 0.53%, NASDAQ down 0.83%. Dow dropped at open, recovered throughout the day, but dropped again an hour or so before the market closed. Ended 108 points down.

Cyclicals (discretionary stocks) worst performer by a mile. Down 2.5% vs Non-Cyclicals down 0.8% in second. Tesla weighed on sector, down 14.3% as Musk and Trump battled on their respective social media platforms.

ASX to fall slightly on open. SPI futures down 5 points (-0.06%).

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The ASX 200 tried hard to attack and sustain the all-time high but failed, dropping 3 points to 8539 (0.1%). Banks were flat as some profit taking crept in, CBA up 0.1% with the Big Bank Basket up to $282.74 (0.1%) insurers down slightly, QBE off 1.4% and financials finding sellers here. REITs mixed, GMG up 1.1% with GPT also firming. Industrials generally lower, CPU fell 1.2% with retailers giving back some of the gains, JBH down 2.0% and CTD off 1.1%. Tech better, the index up % with TNE and XRO making modest gains. In resources, the iron ore miners rose slightly, FMG the best up 1.5%, but the real action was in critical metals either rare earths, or lithium. LYC jumped 12.5% and ILU up 7.1% with MIN rallying 14.8%. PLS too doing well, up 12.5% as shorts moved to cover on Chinese reluctance to make a deal and rare earth exports not forthcoming. IPX soared 28.8% on a DoD deal for US$99m. Gold miners fell, GMD down 2.5% with EVN off 1.6% and CYL falling 3.5%. Uranium stocks flat, coal firmed, WHC up 1.8%. In corporate news, TYR fell 10.4% on news its CEO was leaving. CAT dropped 1.0% on an acquisition and PAC fell 5.0% on a media report on overvaluations. In economic news, Household spending rose 0.1% in April, the seasonally adjusted balance on goods decreased $1,479m in April.

Asian market mixed, Japan down 0.4% and HK up 0.6% China flat. 10-year yields lower at 4.24%.

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Wall Street recorded a mixed, choppy session amid the release of weak economic data. The services sector contracted in May for the first time in almost a year while businesses paid higher input prices, demonstrating the effects of Trump’s trade policies, slower growth and higher inflation. S&P 500 flat, NASDAQ up 0.32%. Dow rose at open but gradually fell as the day went on, particularly after the economic data releases. Ended at low, down 92 points. Mixed sector performance – 5 sectors up, 5 sectors down. Energy was the worst performing sector, following oil down which dropped after US data showed large builds in fuel stocks. Utilities also down, surprisingly, as yields dropped sharply. Financials third-worst performer on growth fears spurned by data. Tech best performer, with Materials and REITS trailing. Meta (+3.2%) buoyed further after its deal for nuclear energy to fund AI investments yesterday. Nvidia (+0.5%) benefitted from its chips making gains in training large AI systems as the AI hype train continues. Wells Fargo (-0.4%) fell despite regulators lifting asset cap on bank. Moderna (-1.9%) slipped despite news that the US appeals court siding with it in case which claimed it undercut patent infringement for its Covid vaccine.

Resources mixed. Oil fell as US fuel stockpiles rose. US Copper and Platinum found some strength. Base metals modestly down despite weakening dollar. Rumoured Canadian retaliation against Trump’s steel and metal tariffs a drag. Iron ore rose on short covering. Uranium fell despite recent tailwinds between Trump’s executive order for strengthening US nuclear capabilities and continued AI demand.

ASX to open flat. SPI futures down 3 points (-0.04%).

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ASX 200 finished up 75 points at 8542 (0.9%) close but no cigar. CBA became the first $300bn market cap stock on the ASX. Not surprisingly a new record, the Big Bank Basket up another 1.3% to $282.44. WBC the best of the bunch, up 1.5% with MQG up 1.5% and GQG lifting 4.3%. REITs also firmed GMG up 0.7% on data centre demand. Retail stocks also in demand following lacklustre GDP numbers and hopes fro more rate cuts. LOV romped 9.1% higher as Mark McInnes joined as deputy chair. JBH up 2.1% and HVN up 3.0% with travel and fast-food stocks rallying too. Defensives sold down as WOL, COL and TLS fell slightly, tech gained a little, WTC up 1.1% and TNE up 1.4% with the All-Tech Index up 0.9%. In resources BHP up 1.0% with FMG rising 1.6% as iron ore found some strength in Singapore. Gold miners sold down, EVN down 2.7% with GMD off 2.8% and SPR losing 0.9%. Uranium stocks spurted higher on Meta moves in US to shore up nuclear power deals, Lithium also saw buyers return, PLS up 5.7% and LTR rising 6.1% with MIN doing well, up 9.2%. Oil and gas better with CRN sorting some liquidity issues out, up 38.1%. In corporate news, MYX was issued with the scheme termination notice falling 5.3%, IEL fell another 2.6% after the 48% loss yesterday, and PBH had an upgraded bid of 120c. On the economic front, GDP came in below expectation at 0.2%. Asian markets firmed, Japan up 0.8%, HK up 0.6% and China up 0.5% 10-year yields steady at 4.25%.

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Wall Street up again amid trade deal optimism and rallying chipmaker stocks. Despite recent tensions, Trump and Xi Jinping are expected to talk this week. S&P 500 up 0.58%, NASDAQ up 0.81%. Dow fell at open but rose steadily throughout the day. Ended near high, up 214 points. Mainly positive sector performance. REITS and Staples showed a little weakness, all other sectors were up. Energy once again the best performer, as global refining margins hit a 14-month high in May. Materials and Industrials also did well.

Tech had another positive session as chipmakers rallied. Nvidia up 2.8%, Broadcom rose 3.3%. Benefited from news stories focusing on coding startups use of AI and their high valuations, adding further fuel to the AI hype train. Alphabet only one of Mag7 materially down, shedding 1.7% as anti-trust cases weighed on it.

US job openings increased in April and layoffs posted biggest rise in nine months. Indicative of a weakening labour market. Yields fell on news, boosting Financials and Utilities. Resources were mixed. Dollar strengthening hurt some. Oil rose on continued tensions between Ukraine and Russia, the US and Iran. Conflicts which suggest supply may remain tight. Some base metals like Copper and Zinc recorded modest gains while Tin was up nearly 3%.

ASX to rise. SPI futures up 24 points (+0.28%).

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ASX 200 up 53 points to 8647 (0.6%). A solid rally driven by bullion and banks. The Big Bank Basket rallied to $278.81 (+1.2%). CBA up another 1.3%, with ANZ doing well up 1.3%. MQG rose 0.9% and IFL up 2.7% on a broker upgrade, Insurers better, SUN was out and up 2.4% with IAG doing well, rising 2.9%. REITs rallied too, GMG up 1.1% and CHC rising 3.1%. Industrials in demand across the board, JBH up 1.9% with WOW and COL better, TLS continuing to push ahead up 1.0% with QAN up another 2.0%. Healthcare mixed, SIG up 2.3% and CSL off 1.0%. Tech stocks rose, with the All-Tech Index up 0.3%. In resources, iron ore stocks drifted lower as iron ore fell on Chinese PMI. Gold miners off highs, but still strong, NEM up 4.3% with GMD gaining 4.6% and OBM up 5.9%. Lithium stocks falling again, PLS down 0.4% and MIN hit 5.5%. Oil and gas stocks rose with crude, uranium still under pressure again. DYL down 1.9% and PDN off 1.3%. In corporate news, IEL fell 48.1% on a massive downgrade and nasty outlook statement, TEA ran 8.6% on a special dividend, DMP fell 2.2% after a raft of executive changes. In economic news, the RBA minutes helped sentiment, Chinese PMI dropped to 48.3. Asian markets slightly higher, Japan up 0.1%, HK up 1.1% and China up 0.5%. 10-year yields steady at 4.26%.

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Wall Street recorded a positive, choppy session despite a backdrop of rising trade tensions between the US and China and important economic data releases such as US employment data and an ECB rate decision where it’s expected to cut. S&P 500 up 0.41%, NASDAQ up 0.67%. Dow fell at open but found strength throughout the day to end up 35 points, near high. Mainly positive sector performance. Industrials and Staples showed a little weakness but all other sectors were up. Energy best performer, followed oil up which rose after Canadian wildfires threaten supply. Materials and Utilities also did well, as did Tech. All major Tech companies were up excluding Alphabet and Tesla. Alphabet (-1.6%) will spend $500m over ten years to overhaul compliance in a shareholder settlement which highlighted internal issues. Tesla (-1.1%) continued to see EU sales plummet in May. Meta and Nvidia led the gains for Tech. Meta (+3.6%) boosted by news it will help advertisers to fully create and target campaigns using AI by the year end. Meta news took Nvidia (+1.7%) with it, another further positive update on AI developments. Resources nearly all up. US Copper jumped as Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminium is feared to potentially extend to copper. Iron ore sole loser. China’s manufacturing activity contracted in May for second consecutive month.

ASX to rise. SPI futures up 68 points (+0.81%).

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