Between the Bells

In the U.S. overnight the S&P and Nasdaq reset their respective record highs while the Dow Jones also closed higher as investors welcomed the latest CPI reading which came in tamer than expected. The S&P 500 rose 1.13%, the Nasdaq added 1.4% and the Dow Jones ended the day up 1.1%. The US CPI reading rose 2.7% on an annualised basis in July which fell short of economists’ estimates of a 2.8% rise, while core CPI rose 3.1% w...

US equities closed in the red overnight ahead of the July inflation report. The Dow Jones closed 0.45% lower, the S&P500 declined 0.25% and the Nasdaq declined 0.3%.

European markets were mostly lower. The German DAX dropped 0.34%, France’s CAC down 0.57%, while the FT100 gained 0.37% and the STOXX600 saw little change, down just 0.06%.

Locally yesterday, the ASX advanced 0.43% with materials and consumer staples in the lead, whi...

Wall Street rallied on Friday following a strong week of earnings results indicating company and economic resilience in the wake of President Trump’s tariffs. The Nasdaq closed at a record high, ending the day up 0.98% to 21,450 points, while the S&P 500 added 0.78% and the Dow Jones ended the day up 0.47%. For the week the major averages each posted notable gains with the S&P 500 rising 2.4%, the Dow Jones climbing 1.4% an...

In the US overnight, all three major benchmarks rallied after President Donald Trump announced a steep new tariff on imports of semiconductors and chips. That is, a 100% tariff on imported chips, with the exception for companies that are building in the US. The Dow Jones gained 0.18%, the S&P500 gained 0.73% and the Nasdaq rallied 1.21% at the close.

In European, Swiss stocks declined after their President and economic minister ...

In the US today so far, Wall St closed lower as investors digested weak economic data against the latest tariff threats out of President Trump. ISM services index data flatlined for July adding to stagflation concerns in the US while stocks also came under pressure after Trump told CNBC that tariffs on chips and pharmaceuticals are coming soon. The S&P 500 ended the day down 0.5%, the Nasdaq dropped 0.65% and the Dow Jones ende...

Wall Street closed lower across the major averages on Friday as investors assessed signals of a weakening economy against Trump’s modified tariffs imposed from August 1. The Dow Jones lost 1.23% on Friday, the S&P 500 fell 1.6% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 2.24%.

The all-important July jobs report came in weaker-than-expected with an expansion of just 73,000 in nonfarm payrolls for the month, well short of the 10...

Reporting season is here, and Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO) mixed results have put materials stocks in focus. While iron ore remains under pressure from weak prices, growing momentum in copper and lithium point to an upside in green energy linked commodities, and shape a more positive outlook for the sector generally in FY26.

In this week’s wrap, Grady covers:

• (0:38): Rio Tinto’s results and what they mean
• (2:08): results from the broader...

Yesterday, the S&P 500 snapped its six-day winning streak to close lower. Real Estate was the best-performing segment, up 1.7%, supported by lower bond yields with the 10-year Treasury yield down 9 basis points as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey indicated a slowing US labour market.

Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell signalled that the Fed won’t be cutting rates yet, as the central bank assesses the impact of the hig...

Wall St closed lower on Tuesday as Wall St awaits for the Federal Reserve interest date decision. The Dow Jones fell 0.46%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.3% and the tech heavy Nasdaq closed 0.38% lower.

Over in Europe, the STOXX 600 closed 0.29% higher, Germany’s DAX rose by just over 1%, the French CAC gained 0.72% and over in the UK, the FTSE 100 ended Tuesdays trading session 0.6% in the green.

Locally yesterday, the ASX200 closed Tue...

Wall Street started the new trading week almost flat as traders looked past the EU-US trade deal that was announced and focused more on the upcoming Fed interest rate decision. The S&P500 rose just 0.02% to another fresh record high while the Dow Jones fell 0.14% and the Nasdaq ended the day up 0.33% also setting a fresh record. A trade deal has been reached between the US and EU which will see 15% tariffs on all exports from t...

Wall Street closed higher with the S&P500 posting its 5th straight record close as investors digested a strong start to earnings season in the US and trade developments in the form of a landmark trade agreement with Japan. The S&P500 rose 0.4% on Friday to post its 14th record close of the year, the Nasdaq added 0.24% and the Dow Jones ended the day up 0.47%. Both Alphabet and Verizon rallied last week on the back of better...

As July wraps up, all eyes turn to August reporting season, where investors are bracing for modest earnings growth and heightened volatility. Banks, staples and tech stocks face valuation pressure, while retailers and miners contend with weaker demand and rising costs. Expect capital management, cost control and forward guidance to separate the standouts from the strugglers.

In this week’s wrap, Grady covers:

• (0:11): the pivot aw...

To start, we wanted to let you know that for a limited time only, you can earn 4.75% p.a. on new ‘ready to invest’ Bell Direct accounts. Visit the Bell Direct website to find out more. Well, as investors await the impending tariff deadline, the US has finalised an agreement with Japan, including reciprocal tariffs of 15%  on the nations exports to the US. All three US benchmarks rallied, with the Dow Jones jumping 500 points or 1.1...

Wall Street closed mostly higher on Tuesday with the S&P500 resetting its record high as the major average rose 0.06%, while the Dow Jones climbed 0.4%, and the Nasdaq fell 0.39%. Investors continued shifting focus from trade war developments to robust earnings results.

In Europe overnight markets closed lower for a third day as investors digested earnings results from some of the largest companies in the region. The STOXX 600 f...

Wall Street closed with records across 2 of the 3 major averages on Monday as optimism around earnings overshadowed investor fears of the latest tariff developments. The S&P500 rose 0.14% to close over 6300 for the first time, the Nasdaq added 0.38% to also post a record close and the Dow jones ended the day down just 0.04%. This second quarter earnings season has started very strong in the U.S. with Verizon shares popping 4% y...

Wall Street closed mixed on Friday following reports President Trump pushed for greater tariffs on the European region. The Dow jones fell 0.32% on Friday, the S&P500 lost just 0.01% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day up 0.05%. Reports suggest Trump is demanding a minimum tariff between 15-20% from the EU ahead of the August 1 tariff implementation date. Consumer sentiment in the U.S. also out on Friday though suggests con...

Defence spending surged to a record $2.7 trillion in 2024, with NATO and Indo-Pacific nations ramping up budgets amid ongoing geopolitical risks. Bell Potter sees strong growth ahead, with opportunities in direct plays like DroneShield (ASX:DRO) and broader exposure through ETFs like DFND and ARMR. While the sector has rallied, tailwinds remain - but investors should be mindful of risks like policy shifts and supply chain pressures...

US equities were higher on Wall Street overnight of the back of news headlines that President Donald Trump has denies firing Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chairman, which initially sent the S&P500 index lower. The three major benchmarks rallied at the close. The Dow Jones added 200 points or 0.53%, the S&P500 gained 0.32% while the tech heavy Nasdaq added 0.25%.

European markets were all in the red. The German DAX down 0....

Wall Street closed higher to start the new trading week in the green despite President Trump’s latest tariff threats over the weekend. The S&P500 rose 0.14%, the Nasdaq added 0.27% and the Dow Jones ended the day up 0.2%. Investors will gauge the first hit of tariffs on the region’s inflation this week when the latest U.S. inflation reading is out.

In Europe overnight markets closed mostly lower despite the UK finishing at a rec...