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Talks between the US and China could mean the end of the trade war, as healthcare stocks take a hit in the markets. MARKET WRAP: ASX200: Up 0.3% or 27 points to 8178 GOLD: $3,384 US BITCOIN: $149, 805 9 of the 11 sectors finished stronger, with the largest gains in the energy sector. It’s all on the back of oil prices, which have seen a rise.. brent crude now buying $63 US a barrel, off the back of hopes that an easing of tariffs could boost demand from China. Woodside and Santos are up 1.5% and 2.3% respectively. NAB has seen a jump of 2% after releasing a better than expected earnings report. And attention has turned to the US Federal Reserve’s 2 day policy meeting, which kicked off today - they’re expected to keep rates on hold tomorrow. CURRENCY UPDATE: AUD/USD: 64.86 US cents AUD/GBP: 49 British pence AUD/EUR: 57 Euro cents AUD/JPY: 93 yen AUD/NZD: 1.08 New Zealand dollars See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US equities all closed higher overnight after a volatile session as the Federal Reserve signalled that the risks for an economic slowdown and higher prices are increasing. The Dow Jones gained 0.7%, boosted by a nearly 11% jump in Disney shares following their fiscal second quarter report which saw a surprising increase in subscriber numbers. The S&P500 gained 0.43% while the Nasdaq gained 0.27%.Additionally, the Federal Open Market Committee held its held its benchmark overnight borrowing rate in a range between 4.25% to 4.5%, where it has been since December. Rates were held steady, with officials adopting a wait-and-see approach amid growing fears of economic stagnation fuelled by President Trump's tariffs.European markets all closed in the red with corporate earnings the main focus for investors. The STOXX600 closed 0.5% lower.Locally yesterday, the ASX200 gained 0.33% with energy and real estate in the lead, while healthcare and tech were the only two sectors to close in the red.What to watch today:The SPI futures are suggesting our local market will rise slightly, up 0.1% at the open this morning.In commodities,Crude oil is trading almost 2% lower at US$57.93 per barrel, hovering near four-year lows due to muted optimism ahead of upcoming U.S.-China trade talks. The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, as officials adopt the wait-and-see approach on tariffs.The price of gold is 1.07% lower at US$3,364.21 an ounce with the rising risks of both inflation and unemployment, reinforcing a cautious stance on future rate adjustments.And iron ore is up 0.7% at US$99.33 per tonne.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter maintain a BUY rating on Bega Cheese (ASX:BGA) with a 12- month price target of $7.00. At BGA's current share price of $5.93, this implies 18% share price growth in a year.And Trading Central have identified a bullish signal in New Hope Corporation (ASX:NHC) indicating that the stock price may rise from the close of $3.75 to the range of $4.21 - 4.31 over 33 days according to the standard principles of technical analysis.

In the US on Tuesday, Wall St continued its sell-off as investors await further clarity on the global trade and tariff front. The Dow Jones fell 0.95%, the S&P500 lost 0.77% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 0.87%. Tesla shares came off 1.8% on Tuesday after the company's new car sales in Britain and Germany fell to their lowest in more than two years last month despite growing consumer demand for electric vehicles.In Europe overnight, markets in the region closed mostly lower as investors continue to monitor corporate earnings results and uncertainty around the US trade outlook. The STOXX 600 fell 0.18%, Germany's DAX lost 0.4%, the French CAC fell 0.4% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up just 0.01%.Across Asia on Tuesday, markets closed mixed as investors in the region continue to assess the unfolding trade situation between the US and key trade partners like China. China's CSI index rose 1.01%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.7%, India's Nifty 50 fell 0.3%, and Japan's Nikkei was closed for a public holiday.The local market started the new trading week with a sell-off that ended a 7-day winning streak for the ASX200 after key trading updates and uncertainty around tariffs and trade deals weighed on investor sentiment. On Tuesday the key index ended the day down 0.1% as healthcare and the banking stocks weighed on the key index.An increasing amount of locally listed companies have been updating the market with tariff implication expectations and unclear outlook notes that have increased investor panic in recent days. Wisetech Global (ASX:WTC) fell over 2.5% after warning of potential demand risks from tariffs as the latest company to report uncertain outlook.Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) bucked the volatility yesterday with a rise of 9% after the gaming and wagering company announced the wagering market remains strong with a modest improvement to the turnover trend in the wagering market, indicating consumer demand remains strong despite broader volatility.What to watch today:On the commodities front this morning oil has rebounded to trade 3.3% higher at US$59/barrel, gold is up 2.46% at US$3416/ounce and iron ore is down 0.8% at US$97.41/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback to buy 64.94 US cents, 92.51 Japanese Yen, 48.33 British Pence and 1 New Zealand dollar and 8 cents.Ahead of the midweek trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 0.38% tracking Wall Street's losses overnight.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded the rating on Platinum Asset Management (ASX:PTM) from a hold to a sell after the funds manager released April's results including FUM falling $629m or 6.1% to $9.647bn.And Trading Central has identified a bearish signal on Lovisa (ASX:LOV) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 21-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may fall from the close of $24.85 to the range of $19 - $20 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Wall St ended the last trading week on a high after better-than-expected nonfarm payrolls data for April eased recession fears and lifted the S&P500 to its longest winning streak in over 2-decades. The S&P500 gained 1.5% on Friday, the Dow Jones rose 1.4% and the Nasdaq ended the day up 1.51%. Payrolls in the US grew by 177,000 in April, well above the 133,000 economists were expecting in a sign the labour market remains strong despite recession fears amid the Trump tariff turmoil.Across the European region on Friday, markets closed higher on better-than-expected economic data and on trade war de-escalation between China and the US. The STOXX 600 rose 1.7%, Germany's DAX added 2.62%, France's CAC rose 2.33% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 1.17%.Asia markets ended the week in the green as trade talks between China and the US continue to make progress. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.74%, India's Nifty 50 rose 0.21%, Japan's Nikkei added 1.04%, and South Korea's Kospi Index ended the day up 0.12%.Locally on Friday, the ASX200 ended the week on a high a gain of 1.1% boosted by strength among tech stocks following a strong night for the Nasdaq on Thursday night despite gloomy earnings out of Amazon, Block and Apple.Corporate Travel Management (ASX:CTD) tumbled 9.2% on Friday after saying it expects to report lower revenue and earnings growth due to the initial impact of tariffs on client demand, while Block sank 25.9% after the digital payments provider lowered its full year guidance. What to watch today:On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 3.6% lower at US$56.24/barrel, gold is up 0.14% at US$3244/ounce and iron ore is down 1.07% at US$98.19/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback to buy 64.53 US cents, 93.38 Japanese Yen, 48.56 British Pence, and 1 New Zealand dollar and 8 cents.Ahead of Monday's trading session, the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.4% to extend on last week's gains.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has raised the 12-month price target on Woolworths Group (ASX:WOW) from $30.75 to $31.85 and maintain a hold rating on the supermarket giant following the release of the company's Q3 results including 3.2% YoY sales growth on a group level, while Australian food revenues rose 3.6% and Australian B2B business revenues rose 6.4%. NZ food sales rose just 1.8% YoY and W Living sales fell 2.6% YoY. The reason for the maintenance of the hold rating is that Woolworths is currently trading on a multiple consistent to Coles and the analyst feels it is difficult to see the catalyst to return the rating to a premium compared to Coles at present.And Bell Potter has reduced the rating on SGH (ASX:SGH) from a buy to a hold and have reduced the 12-month price target on the company from $57 to $54.50 following a mixed outlook in the company's operating divisions. While equipment orders are lifting, aggregate prices are falling and the construction market remains flat in recent months. Trading on a 20.3x FY26 PE, the analyst believes SGH is currently fairly valued.

Wall St started the new trading week lower, with the S&P500 snapping a 9-day winning streak as investors continue to monitor the latest global trade developments. The S&P500 fell 0.64%, the Nasdaq lost 0.74% and the Dow Jones ended the day down 0.24%. Sentiment slightly rose after a report outlined that India has proposed zero tariffs on steel, auto components and pharmaceuticals, while investors still remain cautious about the timeline and exact scope of tariff agreements between the US and key trade partners.In Europe overnight markets in the region closed mixed as investors look ahead to key economic data out in the region. The STOXX 600 rose 0.16%, Germany's DAX climbed 1.1%, the French CAC fell 0.55% and, in the UK, the FTSE 100 was closed for a holiday.Across the Asia region on Monday, markets rose after China said it was evaluating possible trade talks with the US as the ongoing tariff war continues to unfold. China's markets were closed for a public holiday while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.74%, Japan's Nikkei added 1.04%, India's Nifty 50 climbed 0.21% and South Korea's Kospi Index ended the day up 0.12%.Locally to start the new week, the ASX200 fell 1% to snap a 7-day winning streak as weaker-than-expected results out of Westpac weighed on the financial sector and dented overall investor sentiment.Westpac (ASX:WBC) kicked off the results release for the big banks with first half profit sliding 1% on 1H24 amid rising geopolitical risks and a highly competitive mortgage market. The bank's net interest margin, where most of profits are made, also fell 1bps to 1.88%. On release of the results WBC shares fell over 2% while all big bank stocks also retreated on Monday.Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR) climbed almost 10% on Monday after coming out of a trading halt and addressing speculation it had received a takeover and entered into a takeover offer with Gruyere Holdings to acquire 100% of issued and outstanding shares in Gold Road by way of a scheme of arrangement valuing Gold Road at around $3.7bn. What to watch today: On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 1.88% lower at US$57.19/barrel, gold is up 2.87% at US$3332/ounce and iron ore is down 0.8% at US$97.41/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback to buy 64.66 US cents, 92.94 Japanese Yen, 48.76 British Pence and 1 New Zealand dollar and 8 cents.Ahead of Tuesday's trading session the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 0.26% extending on yesterday's losses. Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has reduced the 12-month price target on Chrysos Corporation (ASX:C79) from $4.70 to $4.40 and maintain a hold rating on the global mining assay service provider following the release of the company's May 2025 trading update including revenue beating BPe for the latest quarter, and 5 units being deployed with revenues expected to start generating from these units by the end of FY25. The slight downgrade of the price target is due to recent contract wins outpacing deployment and revenue tracking at the lower end of the guidance range.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Light & Wonder (ASX:LNW) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 22-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $142.03 to the range of $156 to $160 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Markets welcomed some positive news this week on the Trump Tariff front with a reduction in the US automotive tariff announced and news that a major trade deal will soon be announced with China. In this week's wrap, Grady covers: (0:21): how tariff concerns impacted imports of foreign goods(1:32): consumer sentiment data out this week (1:57): an update on China's post-pandemic recovery (3:15): Australia's underlying inflation figures (4:36): how the ASX200 performed this week so far (5:29): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients (5:52): economic news items to watch out for. 

Submit your stock picks here: ausbiz.co/callpicksGrady Wulff from Bell Direct and David Lane from Ord Minnett go in-depth and stock specific on ‘the call.' Telix Pharmaceuticals (TLX) Regis Healthcare (REG) Wesfarmers (WES) Nufarm (NUF)Praemium (PPS) Arena REIT (ARF) Southern Cross Electrical (SXE) Monadelphous Group (MND) Iluka Resources (ILU)Rio Tinto (RIO) Stock of the day: Woolworths (WOW) to listen go to https://ausbiz.co/STODGet your stock pick to the front of the queue by becoming an ausbiz contributor: https://ausbiz.co/contributorsAnd we'd love it if you could leave us a review below! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall St closed mixed on Wednesday following the release of US GDP data for Q1 that indicated economic contraction of 0.3% QoQ which is well below the 2.4% expansion reported in Q4 and below economists' expectations of a 0.5% rise in GDP for the latest reading. The slide in GDP enhanced investor fears of a US recession which impacted equities on Wednesday. The Dow Jones rose 0.35%, and the S&P500 gained 0.15% but the Nasdaq ended the day down 0.09%. Consumer confidence, JOLTs Job Openings and the personal spending index all in the US were also released for the latest period overnight with each coming in poorer than economists' were expecting.European markets closed higher on Wednesday as investors reacted to worse-than-expected economic data out of the US. The STOXX 600 rose 0.46%, Germany's DAX gained 0.32%, the French CAC added 0.32% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.37%Asia Markets closed mixed on Wednesday as investors digested an array of key economic data out in the region and ahead of the Bank of Japan's rate meeting kicking off. Japan's Nikkei rose 0.57%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.51%, and China's CSI index fell 0.12% after China's manufacturing activity dropped more than expected in April to enter contraction territory.Locally on Wednesday, the ASX extended its rally into the midweek session with a gain of 0.7% taking lead from Wall Street's strength on Tuesday. Real estate stocks led the gains on Wednesday while other rate sensitive sectors like Tech and consumer discretionary stocks posted notable gains.Australia's latest inflation reading for the March Quarter was released yesterday with monthly inflation rising 0.9% while the annual rate remained at 2.4%. Trimmed mean inflation fell to 2.8% in the quarter which is now back within the RBA's target 2-3% range. Markets are expecting a 62% chance of a rate cut to be announced at the next RBA meeting in May prior to the CPI reading release yesterday.Gold producer Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) extended its sell-off yesterday after the gold giant lowered its output guidance for FY25, while Ora Banda (ASX:OBM) also tumbled over 6% after also lowering full-year production guidance.What to watch today:Ahead of Thursday's trading session the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the first session of the new trading month down 0.34% following Wall Street's turbulence overnight.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 3.42% lower at US$58.35/barrel, gold is down 1.13% at US$3279/ounce and iron ore is down 0.1% at US$99.76/tonne.The Aussie dollar has strengthened against the greenback overnight to buy 64.08 US cents, 91.62 Japanese Yen, 47.61 British Pence and NZ$1.08.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded the rating on Regis Resources (ASX:RRL) from a buy to a hold and have raised the 12-month price target to $4.57 on the gold producer following the release of the company's March quarter report which beat BPe on production and costs. The downgrade to a hold is simply due to recent share price appreciation.Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Autosports Group (ASX:ASG) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 97-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $1.94 to the range of $2.11 to $2.17 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

The recent rally on Wall St extended into Tuesday's session as investor optimism was boosted by the White House saying a major trade deal is close to being announced. The S&P500 rose 0.58% to notch a 6th straight winning session, while the Dow Jones rallied 0.75% to also post a 6th straight winning day, and the Nasdaq ended the day up 0.55%.In Europe overnight, it was a sea of green as investors responded to corporate results out in the region including Lufthansa posting a revenue beat, Deutsche Bank reporting a 39% rise in first-quarter profit and HSBC topping profit expectations. The STOXX 600 rose 0.4%, Germany's DAX added 0.1%, the French CAC gained 0.8% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.6%.Across the Asia region on Tuesday, markets closed mixed as investors assessed corporate earnings results and Trump's move to reduce automotive tariffs. China's CSI index ended down 0.17%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.16% and South Korea's Kospi index ended the day with a gain of 0.65%.The local market started the new trading week in positive territory with the ASX200 hitting a 2-month high to end Tuesday's session up 0.9%. Trump's tariff concerns remain in the background of investor concerns right now but are being overlooked ahead of the all-important local inflation reading out today and ahead of the RBA's anticipated rate cut to come in May. Yesterday we had further clarity out of the US that negotiation talks on tariffs between China and the US are progressing and Trump reduced the tariff he recently imposed on automotive sales.The recent uranium stock rally extended yesterday as the price of the commodity rose 0.6% to US$67/pound, but more of the gains can be explained by Boss Energy's (ASX:BOE) driving force after the uranium producer reported its first quarter of free cash flow generation and that output and costs had met or beat expectations. Boss Energy rose over 14% on Tuesday, Deep Yellow (ASX:DYL) gained 11.71%% and Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) ended the day up 8.5%.Elsewhere in the mining space, Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) surged over 12% on Tuesday despite releasing a quarterly update including iron ore output guidance slashed again and the company burnt through $300m of cash in the quarter.What to watch todayOn the commodities front:Oil is down 2.64% at US$60.41/barrel, gold is down 0.6% at US$3317.80/ounce and iron ore is flat at US$99.91/tonne.The Aussie dollar is buying 63.86 US cents, 90.90 Japanese Yen, 47.86 British Pence and 1 New Zealand dollar and 8 cents.Ahead of the midweek trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.35% tracking global market gains overnight.Also today we will receive the latest March quarter inflation reading with the market forecasting an uptick of 0.8% in the reading, which will indicate inflation continues to ease and provides the RBA with further support for a rate cut at the next meeting in May.Trading IdeasBell Potter has downgraded the rating on Catalyst Metals (ASX:CYL) from a buy to a hold and have raised the 12-month price target on the gold production and development company following the release of the company's Q3 results including total gold production of 24.3koz at AISC of A$2765/ounce. With growth on the horizon, the downgrade to a hold is simply on the grounds of current valuation of the company being within the Bell Potter hold criteria.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Perenti (ASX:PRN)following the formation of a pattern over a period of 40-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $1.38 to the range of $1.58 to $1.62 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

In this Bell Direct macro update, we break down the latest March quarter CPI figures and what they could mean for the RBA's next move. With trimmed mean inflation easing to within target and key categories like services and housing shifting, could a rate cut be on the horizon? Watch now for expert analysis and market insights.

Wall St closed higher on Friday as investors continue to navigate the evolving situation on a global trade front while the big tech names got a welcome boost following a sell-off in recent times. The S&P500 rose 0.74% on Friday for a fourth straight winning session while the Nasdaq gained 1.26% and the Dow Jones ended the day up 0.05%.Over in Europe on Friday, markets closed higher as earnings reports out in the region were well-received by investors despite ongoing trade uncertainty. The STOXX 600 rose 0.35%, Germany's DAX added 0.8%, the French CAC added 0.45%, and in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.1%.Across the Asia region to end the week markets closed mostly higher as investors continue to assess the possibility of easing trade war tensions between China and the US. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.24%, China's CSI index closed flat, Japan's Nikkei rose 1.9% and South Korea's Kospi index ended the day up 0.95%.Locally on Thursday the ASX200 rose 0.6% to end the holiday shortened trading week up 2.3% as investor optimism around a rate cut out of the RBA in May boosted investor sentiment. While Trump's tariff moves continue to weigh on investor sentiment, we are seeing certain companies rally from exemptions like ResMed (ASX:RMD) soaring 8.5% on Thursday after revealing its sleep apnoea devices have received an exemption from Trump's tariffs. Uranium miners also rallied on Thursday with Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) jumping 12% after announcing record production at its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia.What to watch todayAhead of Monday's trading session in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day just 0.02% higher.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 0.71% higher at US$63.44/barrel, gold is down 0.26% at US$3311/ounce and iron ore is down 0.06% at US$99.92/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback to buy US$0.64, 91.93 Japanese Yen, 48.10 British Pence and NZ$1.07.Trading IdeasBell Potter has slightly reduced the 12-month price target on Seek (ASX:SEK) from $27.00 to $25.80 and maintain a buy rating on Australia's leading online jobs advertisement platform following a mixed month of jobs report for March. For the month, Seek's employment report for Australia outlined an accelerating decline for job ads, down 12.8% YoY on platform and the ABS' internet job ad vacancy index also worsened for March, down 16.3%. Despite the weakness in the ABS data, Seek is significantly outperforming ABS data.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Autosports Group (ASX:ASG) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 55-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $1.83 to the range of $2.00 to $2.06 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

US equities closed missed overnight, with the Dow Jones up 0.28%, the S&P500 up 0.06% and the Nasdaq slightly lower just 0.1%. S&P500 futures are pointing lower this morning, after the index posted five straight winning sessions. Investors are preparing for earnings week, with approximately a third of S&P500- listed firms posting results.  European markets were all higher with the FTSE 100 posting its best winning streak in over 5 years. Yesterday our local market advanced 0.36% with 10 of the 11 industry sectors in the green. Energy and technology advanced the most, while materials was the only sector to close lower. Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) lead the market rally, while healthcare companies Clarity Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CU6) and Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) declined the most.  What to watch todayThe Australian market is set to open higher this morning, with the SPI futures suggesting a 0.21% rise at the open this morning. In commodities, Crude oil is trading 1.57% lower at around US$62.00 per barrel, as tariff- driven growth concerns threatened to dampen fuel consumption, while supply surged. OPEC+ surprised markets by adding approximately 411,000 barrels per day in May, reversing much of last year's cutbacks. The gold price is up 0.57% at US$3,338.85 an ounce, boosted by bargain hunting and cautious sentiment ahead of key US economic data, as well as US- China trade developments. And iron ore is currently steady at US$99.91 per tonne.  Trading IdeasBell Potter maintains a Buy rating on mining contractor and operator Develop Global (ASX:DVP). Their price target remains unchanged at $4.00 and at DVP's current share price of $2.71 this implies 48% share price growth in a year. And Trading Central have identified a bearish signal in Lendlease Group (ASX:LLC) indicating that the stock price may fall from the close of $5.08 to the range of $4.05 - $4.25 over 18 days, according to the standard principles of technical analysis. 

European markets rallied on hopes of cooling US – China trade tensions. The STOXX 600 gained 1.78%, German's DAX gained more than 3%, France's CAC up more than 2% and the FTSE 100 up 0.9%.  The three major US benchmarks were also all higher, posting back-to-back gains. The Dow Jones advanced 1.07% or 63 points, the S&P500 up 1.67%, while the tech- heavy Nasdaq advanced 2.5%.  What to watch todayThe SPI futures are suggesting the Australian market will rise 0.16% at the open this morning. Looking at commodities, Crude oil has declined 2.24% to US$62.24 per barrel, amid the possibility that OPEC+ may continue to increase supply in upcoming months. The price of gold is trading 0.69% lower at US$3,313.40 an once, after hitting a record of US$3,500 the prior session and contrasting with the rally in other dollar- denominated financial assets that benefited from expectations of a de-escalation in the China and US trade tensions. While iron ore is trading higher, up 0.21% at US$100.09 per tonne. Trading IdeasBell Potter maintains a Buy rating on Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) following a strong quarter of revenue growth. Their 12-month price target remains unchanged at $36.00 and at TLX's current share price of $25.18, this implies 43% share price growth in a year. And Trading Central have identified a bullish signal in Regis Healthcare (ASX:REG) indicating that the stock price may rise from the close of $6.75 to the range of $7.70 to $7.75 over 30 days, according to the standard principles of technical analysis. 

European markets closed higher after the European Central Bank reported that the disinflation process in Europe was “nearing completion.” The STOXX 600 closed 0.25% higher, the German DAX up 0.4%, France's CAC up 0.56% and the FTSE 100 up 0.6%.  US equities rallied on Wall Street overnight, ending a four- day streak of losses, as hope that trade tensions between the US and China could potentially ease soon. The Dow Jones advanced 2.66%, the S&P500 up 2.51% and the Nasdaq up 2.7%.  Yesterday the ASX200 closed slightly lower, just 0.03%, with what was a quieter trading day to start the three-day working week between Easter and Anzac Day long weekends. Financials, consumer staples and materials were the only sectors to close in the green. West African Resources (ASX:WAF) and Evolution Mining (ASX:EVN) lead the gains, while Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) and Zip Co. (ASX:ZIP) declined the most.  What to watch today:Following US equities, the Aussie market is set up to jump 1.28% at the open this morning, according to the SPI futures. In economic data today, the S&P Global Manufacturing and Services Flash PMI will be released, a forward looking estimate of the final PMI out next week. In commodities, Crude Oil recovered earlier losses, trading over 3% higher at US$64.36 per barrel, likely in a technical rebound after falling over 2% in the previous session. With that in mind, the outlook for crude is bearish as progress in discussions between the US and Iran has increased the possibility of a deal to bring Iranian oil exports back to the market. The price of gold has declined, down more than 3%, trading at US$3,327.97 an ounce, after having touched a new record of US$3,500 earlier in the trading session. And iron ore is steady at US$99.88 per tonne. And Woolworths (ASX:WOW) is scheduled to pay its fully franked interim dividend of 39cps today.  Trading Ideas:Bell Potter maintains its BUY rating on Alcidion (ASX:ALC), a commercial healthcare IT company and have maintained their 12-month price target of $0.11. At ALC's current share price of $0.08, this implies 39.2% share price growth in a year. And Trading Central have identified a bearish signal in Qube Holdings (ASX:QUB) indicating that the stock price may fall from the close of $3.79. 

Wall St closed lower overnight as Donald Trump criticized Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell. The Dow Jones fell by 2.48%, the S&P 500 dropped 2.36% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended Monday's trading session 2.55% in the red.Over in Europe, markets closed flat on Thursday following the European Central Banks decision to cut interest rates. The STOXX600 fell 0.1% lower, Germany's DAX fell 0.49%, the French CAC dropped 0.6% and over in the UK, the FTSE100 closed the trading session flat.Locally on Thursday, the ASX200 closed 0.78% higher with all but one major sector closing in the green. Gains were led by the energy and material sectors which rose by 3.82% and 1.45% respectively. This was slightly offset by the health sector which dropped by 0.13% by the closing bell.What to watch today:The Australian share market is set to open higher, with the SPI futures suggesting a rise of 0.6% at market open this morning.On the commodities front this morning,Oil is trading 1.9% lower at US$63.45 per barrel Gold is trading 3.15% higher at US$3,431 an ounce Iron ore is trading 0.13% lower at US$99.92 per tonne.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter maintains a buy rating on Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) and has a 12-month price target of $2. With a current share price of $1.43 this indicates a share price growth of 40% over the next 12-months, hence the buy rating is maintained.Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Light & Wonder (ASX:LNW) indicating that the share price may rise from the close of $125.67 to the range of $169-$179, on a pattern formed over 16 days, according to the standard principles of technical analysis.

Time in the market, rather than timing the market, is what our strategist team at Bell Potter recommend this week, as the spike in market volatility has prompted some investors to contemplate moving their assets into cash as a perceived save haven during these uncertain times. In this week's wrap, Sophia covers: (0:11): Bell Potter's view on timing the market(2:36): the cost of missing the market's best days (4:46): how the ASX200 performed this week so far(5:45): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients (6:12): economic news items to watch out for. 

Wall Street started the new trading week mostly in the red as investors piled out of equities for a third straight session after President Trump threatened even higher tariffs against China on Monday. Trading volume hit the highest level in 18 years yesterday with markets trading around 29 billion shares. The Dow Jones fell 0.91% on Monday, the S&P500 shed 0.23% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day up 0.1%.In Europe overnight, markets in the region started the new trading week lower as investors continue to fear the global fall out of Trump's Tariffs and implications on economic activity in the Eurozone. The STOXX 600 tumbled 4.54%, Germany's DAX lost 4.26%, the French CAC plummeted 4.8%, and in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 4.4%.Asia markets started the week with another sea of red as global trade war fears escalate following China's reciprocal tariff announcement on Friday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng plummeted 13.22%, China's CSI index fell 7.05%, Japan's Nikkei tumbled 7.83% and South Korea's Kospi index ended the day down 5.57%.Locally on Monday, the ASX200 tanked over 4% to post the biggest loss in 5-years after China retaliated with tariffs on US goods, escalating the global trade war and tensions on a global scale.Abacus Storage King was among the only winners on Monday with a rally over 20% after its majority investor Ki Corporation and NYSE-listed Public Storage lobbed a proposal to buy the remaining stake for $1.47 a share.Market heavyweights tanked yesterday, with CBA diving over 6%, so too did BHP and other miners as the price of iron ore slumped on global trade and demand concerns.What to watch today:Ahead of Tuesday's trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.75% to recover some of the heavy losses experienced in recent days.On the commodities front this morning, the sea of red continues with oil trading 1.12% lower at US$61.29/barrel, gold is down 1.65% at US$2987/ounce and iron ore is down 1.5% at US$102.64/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further weakened against the USD overnight to buy US$0.59, 88.67 Japanese Yen, 47.08 British Pence and NZ$1.08.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has initiated coverage of Trajan Group (ASX:TRJ) with a buy rating and a 12-month price target of $1.50 on the global developer of scientific measurement devices as the analyst sees the company is returning to growth. The analyst sees Trajan Group as offering deep value given it is trading at a 47% discount to close peer Tecan and a 60^ discount to major US peers.And Trading Central has identified a bearish signal on EBR Systems (ASX:EBR) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 52-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may fall from the close of $1.39 to the range of 75 to 85cps according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Wall St was smashed again on Friday as investors fled equities amid concerns over Trump's latest tariff implications on the US economy. The Dow Jones tumbled 5.5%, the S&P500 lost 5.97% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq plunged 5.8%. China's commerce ministry said on Friday that it will impose a 34% levy on all US products without negotiation with President Trump, while tech and other stocks with exposure to China also tumbled as investors brace for impact on such company's sales, financials and growth outlook.In Europe on Friday, markets in the region closed sharply lower as investors digested Trump's liberation day tariffs and after China retaliated with tariffs on the US. The STOXX 600 fell 5%, Germany's DAX fell 4.7%, the French CAC lost 4.3% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down just shy of 5%.Across the Asia region to end the week, markets closed lower as the global tariff sell-off extended into the region. China's CSI index fell 0.59%, Japan's Nikkei tumbled over 4%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 1.52% and South Korea's Kospi Index ended the day down 0.76%.The local market tumbled 2.4% on Friday erasing 57b$ from the ASX200 after global markets reacted to Trump's liberation day tariff handouts that were larger and broader than expected.Our market followed the US free-fall on Thursday that saw the Nasdaq tumble 6%, the S&P 500 drop 4.84% and the Dow Jones decline 4%.Stocks with exposure to the US market were heavily sold off as investors fled exposure to cost hikes faced by such companies under the new 10% blanket tariff on all Aussie exports bound for the US.In the wake of global uncertainty, investors are increasingly dumping growth stocks in favour of supermarkets given their defensive nature, lack of exposure to the US and guaranteed earnings no matter the time of economic cycle.Breville Group has been hit hard by the US tariff imposition with the company falling over 11% on Friday and over 6% on Thursday as the company manufactures in China and attributes a large portion of revenues to the US market. Breville has already started moving production out of China, however, will need to assess pricing and strategize to overcome the tariff implications.Growth stocks associated with the AI revolution were also heavily sold off on Friday with NextDC falling over 6% while geolocation tracking app with a high presence in the US, Life 360, fell over 8%.What to watch today:Ahead of Monday's trading session to start the new trading week, the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 4.3% tracking the global sell-off on Friday.On the commodities front this morning it is a sea of red across the commodities space with oil down 3.14% at US$60/barrel, gold is down 0.57% at US$3020/ounce and iron ore is down 1.5% at US$102.64/tonne.The Aussie dollar has weakened against the greenback over the weekend to buy US$60.02, 87.07 Japanese Yen, 46.77 British Pence and NZ$1.08.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded the rating on Bellevue Gold (ASX:BGL) from a buy to a hold and have lowered the 12-month price target on the gold producer from $2 to $1.30 per share after Q3 production missed guidance by 30%.And Trading Central has identified a bearish signal on Generation Development Group (ASX:GDG) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 53-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may fall from the close of $4.36 to the range of $3.40 to $3.70 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Locally from Monday to Thursday, the ASX200 declined 1.53% as global market uncertainty weighed on investor sentiment. Materials and energy stocks took the biggest hit, as investors are concerned over the impact Trump's tariffs on the global economy. In this week's wrap, Grady covers:(0:10): the RBA's cash rate decision(0:27): the global impact of Trump's Liberation Day(2:37): Trump's beef with Aussie beef explained(4:33): How Aussie companies may respond to tariffs(6:35): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients(7:00): economic news items to watch out for.

Submit your stock picks here: ausbiz.co/callpicksGrady Wulff from Bell Direct and Howard Coleman from Teaminvest go in-depth and stock specific on ‘the call.' Helia (HLI)CBA (CBA)Dicker Data (DDR)Cedar Woods Properties (CWP)SiteMinder (SDR)Pro Medicus (PME)Downer (DOW)Worley (WOR)Ventia (VNT)Spartan Resources (SPR)Stock of the day: Breville Group (BRG) to listen go to https://ausbiz.co/STODGet your stock pick to the front of the queue by becoming an ausbiz contributor: https://ausbiz.co/contributorsAnd we'd love it if you could leave us a review below! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall Street closed Tuesday's session higher in yet another volatile session as traders took advantage of market uncertainty ahead of Trump's tariff handouts on April 2nd US time, and on the back of weaker-than-expected economic data weighing on investor sentiment. The S&P500 rose 0.38%, the Dow Jones added 0.03% and the Nasdaq ended the day up 0.87%. Investor sentiment was also hit by the Institute for Supply Management manufacturing survey coming in lighter than expected and in contraction territory for February, while February's job openings were also slightly below estimates in signs the economy is slowing due to tariff implications on US economic stability.In Europe overnight, markets reversed Monday's losses to close higher as eurozone inflation data for March showed inflation in the region cooled as expected to 2.2% for the month. The STOXX 600 rose 1.07%, Germany's DAX added 1.7%, the French CAC gained 1.1% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.61%.Across the Asia markets on Tuesday, markets also rebounded in the region following Monday's sell-off as investors await clarity on Trump's incoming tariffs, Japan's Nikkei rose 0.11%, South Korea's Kospi Index added 1.62%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.38% and China's CSI index ended the day flat.The local market started the trading week mixed with the third-worst session of 2025 posted on Monday followed by a recovery on Tuesday with the key index ending Tuesday's session up 1%.The RBA also held the nation's cash rate at 4.1% for the next period to assess the unfolding trade situation with the US and to ensure inflation in Australia remains on track in the target range of 2-3%.Elsewhere in the economic data space, Australia's latest retail sales figures for February were released yesterday coming in at a rise of 0.2% for February which fell short of economists' expectations and is a positive reading for Australia's inflation journey easing as consumer spend is a big contributor to inflationary pressures.Investors really are riding the wave of volatility right now ahead of Trump's ‘Liberation Day' reciprocal tariff day in the US on Wednesday the 2nd April whereby it is expected the US President will announce an array of tariffs on countries that he believes have been unfairly taxing US imports for some time.The recent volatility has propelled gold to yet another record high overnight with the price of the commodity touching US$3145/ounce as investors flock to the safe-haven asset during times of high uncertainty.What to watch today:Ahead of the midweek trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.35% tracking Wall Street's rally overnight.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.33% lower at US$71.25/barrel, gold is down 0.24% at US$3112/ounce and iron ore is up 0.08% at US$102.51/tonne.The Aussie dollar has slightly strengthened against the greenback overnight to buy US$0.62, 93.70 Japanese Yen, 48.44 British pence and NZ$1.10 cents.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded Opthea (ASX:OPT) to a sell rating from a buy rating and have dropped the 12-month price target on the company to 5cps following the release of Phase 3 trial results that failed to show any benefit in improving visual acuity when combined with either Eylea or Lucentis across both primary and key secondary endpoints.And Bell Potter has raised the 12-month price target on Aristocrat Leisure (ASX:ALL) from $83 to $85 and maintain a buy rating on the hotels and gaming company after the company's Phoenix Link has grown to 750 units in the EK database after just 4-months with performance strong at 2.5x floor average although trending down. The analyst expects operating momentum in FY25 to accelerate, particularly in Gaming Operations.

The world's largest market, the US, started the new trading week mostly in the green despite investors remaining nervous about ‘liberation day' on April 2nd whereby it is expected President Donald Trump will announce an array of reciprocal tariffs on countries he believes have been tough on the US in terms of tariffs and trade in recent years. The Dow Jones rose 1%, the S&P500 added 0.55% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 0.14%.In Europe overnight the sea of red extended into the new trading week across the region as investors brace for reciprocal tariffs out of the US on 2nd April. The STOXX600 fell 1.51% to post the first losing month on the index for 2025. Germany's DAX lost 1.33%, the French CAC fell 1.58% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 0.88%.Across the APAC region on Monday, markets also closed lower on Monday ahead of Trump's second round of tariffs to be announced. Japan's Nikkei plunged 4.05%, China's CSI index lost 0.71%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.09% and South Korea's Kospi index ended the day down 3%.South Korea and Japan are expected to bear much of the brunt of Trump's newly introduced 25% automotive tariff with these regions ranking 2nd and 3rd among the countries with the highest automotive trade with the US.Locally to start the week the ASX200 plunged into the red with a 1.7% decline at the closing bell to mark the 3rd worst trading session of the year, as global market sentiment remains uneasy amid escalated tariff, trade war and subdued economic global growth concerns.The iron ore mining giants were sold off on Monday as the outlook for exports remains murky, especially to our largest trade partner, China. BHP, Rio and Champion Iron each fell over 3%, over 4% and over 5% respectively to start the new trading week lower.Domain shares fell almost 2% on Monday after the board unanimously recommended a takeover bid from US real estate company CoStar to shareholders. Shareholders were seemingly unimpressed which led to the sell-off yesterday.What to watch today:Ahead of Tuesday's trading session the ASX, the SPI futures are anticipating the market will open the day up 0.85% tracking Wall Street's gains overnight.The all-important RBA interest rate meeting is today with the market expecting Australia's central bank to hold the current cash rate at 4.1% for the next period.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 2.85% higher at US$71.34/barrel, gold is 1.3% higher at US$3124/ounce and iron ore is up 0.07% at US$102.43/tonne.The Aussie dollar has weakened against the greenback overnight to buy US$0.62, 93.67 Japanese Yen, 48.22 British Pence and NZ$1.10.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has slightly reduced the 12-month price target on Light & Wonder (ASX:LNW) from $205 to $197 and maintain a buy rating on the leading global cross-platform games operator after Aristocrat Leisure escalated its legal fight against Light and Wonder with a second amended complaint around LNW's Jewel of the Dragon game.And Trading Central has identified a bearish signal on Cochlear (ASX:COH) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 23-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may fall from the close of $262.30 to the range of $246 to $250 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Wall Street closed lower on Friday as hotter-than-expected personal spending inflation data and US trade policy uncertainty dampened investor sentiment. The Dow Jones fell 1.7% on Friday, the S&P 500 lost 1.97% and the tech heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 2.7%.On Friday U.S. core personal consumption expenditures price index came in hotter-than-expected for February with a rise of 2.8% and 0.4% MoM indicating persistent inflation across consumer spending.Over in Europe on Friday, markets in the region closed lower as global market sentiment declines on trade and tariff uncertainty. The STOXX 600 fell 0.77%, Germany's DAX and the French CAC each lost 1%, and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day flat.Across Asia on Friday, Trump tariff threats continue to keep investors on edge in the region which led to a negative day across the board on Friday. Japan's Nikkei lost 1.8%, South Korea's Kospi index ended the day down 1.9%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.65% and China's CSI index ended the day down 0.44%.Locally to end the week the ASX edged 0.2% higher to end a volatile trading week as Trump's tariffs cloud economic outlook on a global scale. Despite the turbulence, the ASX200 posted a 0.6% gain for the trading week last week as a 2.55% rally for the financial sector and 2% gain among energy stocks offset weakness among the rate sensitive sectors of REIT and Tech stocks.Packaging group Orora took the biggest hit on Friday with an 8% decline after the French Competition Authority announced a review into industry-wide anticompetitive practices, which includes into Saverglass, a European bottle maker that Orora acquired in 2023.Paladin Energy fell a further 4.1% on Friday after the uranium producer retracted its 2025 production guidance due to unseasonably heavy rainfall in Namibia in recent times, which is where Paladin's Langer Heinrich mine is located.What to watch today:Ahead of Monday's trading session here in Australia, the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 1.13%.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 0.8% lower at US$69.36/barrel, gold is up 0.94% at US$3084.35/ounce and iron ore is up 0.07% at US$102.43/tonne.The Aussie dollar has weakened against the greenback to buy 62.80 US cents, 94.27 Japanese Yen, 49.03 British Pence, and NZ$1.11.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has decreased the 12-month price target on Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) from $330/share to $280/share and maintain a buy rating on the leading medical imaging company after Bell Potter's analyst completed a review into the timing of new contract installations and their subsequent impacts on revenue over the coming years. The downgrade in PT is due to downgrades in FY25 and FY26 EPS expectations from the analyst following the review into the contract installations.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Telstra Group (ASX:TLS) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 17-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $4.23 to the range of $4.31 to $4.35 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

This week, news headlines around the Trump Tariffs continued, with President Donald Trump announcing a 25% tariff on all cars and parts that are not built or produced in the US. US consumer and business confidence are taking a hit, so where does this leave you and your investment decisions?In this week's wrap, Grady covers:(0:11): how the Trump Tariffs impact investors(1:59): why copper prices hit a fresh record high(3:52): the impact on US consumer & business confidence(4:54): how the ASX200 performed this week so far(5:37): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients(6:05): economic news items to watch out for next week.

The ASX 200 got close to cracking through the 8000 point mark, as better inflation numbers suggested again that rate cuts could be on the way. MARKET WRAP: ASX200: up 0.71%, 7,999 GOLD: $3,029 US/oz BITCOIN: $139,581 AUD Commbank up 1.1%, Westpac rising 1.2%, NAB picking up 0.7%, and ANZ jumping almost 3%. Brent Crude oil has steadily been rising in price, up over $73 US a barrel and helping the local energy sector. Santos rose 1.7%, while Woodside was up 0.4%. Vulcan rose 12.8% to $5.36 after one of its projects was listed as crucial for the European Commission’s critical minerals supply. Paladin Energy fell 11.6% to $5.65 after it pulled back on its guidance following heavy rainfall in its Namibian mine The half year results for telco Tuas showed a profit of $3 million, with shares down 7.5% to $5.80. CSL down 1.5%, Ramsay Health Care down 1.3% CURRENCY UPDATE: AUD/USD: 63.20 US cents AUD/GBP: 49.0 British pence AUD/EUR: 58 Euro cents AUD/JPY: 95 Japanese yen AUD/NZD: 1.10 NZ dollars See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wall St closed higher overnight for its third straight session on higher hopes of softer US tariffs. The Dow Jones rose slightly by 0.01%, the S&P 500 jumped 0.16% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.46%.Europe followed the US and closed higher with the STOXX600 rising 0.67%, with all major sectors closing in positive territory. Germany's DAX climbed 1.13%, the French CAC gained 1.08% and over in the UK, the FTSE100 ended Tuesday's session 0.3% in the green.Locally yesterday, the market has continued with the same volatility we've seen over the past few weeks with the ASX200 rising by 0.07%. Gains were led by the information technology and health sectors which rose by 1.87% and 0.98%. This was slightly offset by the consumer staples sector which fell by 0.86% by market close.Australia's Federal budget for 2025-2026 was handed down last night but should pose little impact on the market movements today as much of the government spend updates were pre-announced. However, the one key highlight was that the budget deficit is expected to widen to $42.1bn, or 1.5% of GDP in 2025-2026. The key inclusions were the $150 energy bill relief for all Australians to help with cost of living pressures, an $8.5bn boost to Medicare, $1bn in military spend which has been brought forward with the total defence spend at $10.6bn over the next 4-years, and states and territories will also be offered almost $50m in funding to grow local housing industries amid the housing crisis currently operating in Australia.What to watch locally today,The Australian share market is set to open higher with the SPI futures set to rise by 0.59% at market open this morning.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.12% higher at 69 US dollars and 19 cents a barrel, gold is trading 0.28% higher at 3018 US dollars an ounce and iron ore is trading 0.21% higher at 102 US dollars and 21 cents a tonne.Trading Ideas: Bell Potter maintains a buy rating on Gold Road Resources (ASX:GOR), with a 12-month price target of $3.20. With a current share price of $2.79, this indicates a share price growth of 14.7% over the next 12-months, hence the buy rating is maintained.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Tabcorp Holdings (ASX:TAH), indicating that the share price may rise form the close of $0.62 to the range $0.73-$0.75, on a pattern formed over 18 days, according to the standard principles of technical analysis.

Wall Street started the new trading week higher across the key indices as investors remain optimistic that President Donald Trump may hold back from implementing some of his tariff plans that could lead to an escalated trade war and economic slowdown in the US. The Dow Jones rose 1.42% on Monday, the S&P500 climbed 1.76% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day up 2.27%.Across the European markets on Monday, markets in the region closed slightly lower as investor optimism around Trump easing tariffs faded. The STOXX 600 fell 0.13%, Germany's DAX lost 0.17%, the French CAC dropped 0.26% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 0.1%.Asia markets closed Monday's session mixed as Trump's reciprocal tariff deadline of April 2 draws closer. South Korea's Kospi Index lost 0.42%, and Japan's Nikkei fell 0.18%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.91% and China's CSI index rose 0.51%.Locally to start the week, the ASX200 seesawed between positive and negative before ending the day just 0.07% higher as a banking rally offset heavy losses among staples, tech and industrials stocks.Investors took some profits from the supermarket giants yesterday following a strong rally for both Coles and Woolworths on Friday amid the lack of evidence of price gauging found by the ACCC in their investigation.Synlait Milk shares tumbled over 8% on Monday after the milk producers' latest results failed to impress investors despite the NZ-based company reporting a swing to profitability with a 105% increase in NPAT to $4.8m.And global building materials and fibre cement company James Hardie Industries weighed on the market gains yesterday following the company announcing it has entered into an agreement to acquire US-based AZEK which is a leader in providing high-performance, low-maintenance building products and solutions. Investors fled the stock upon release of the announcement as the deal is valued $14bn, which is an expensive multiple to pay, around 23 x EBITDA compared to JHX current multiple of 12x.What to watch today:Ahead of Tuesday's trading session in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.45% tracking Wall Street's gains overnight.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 1.25% higher at US$69.13/barrel, gold is down 0.4% at US$3011.82/ounce and iron ore is down 0.15% at US$102/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback to buy US$0.62, 94.72 Japanese Yen, 48.62 British Pence, and NZ$1.09.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has increased the rating on Catalyst Metals (ASX:CYL) from a hold to a buy and have raised the 12-month price target on the gold production and development company from $4.45 to $5.50 following the company's announcement of the sale of its non-core Henty Gold Mine to Kaiser Reed to simplify the business, enable greater focus on the expansion and exploration of the flag ship Plutonic Gold Operation and adding a clow cost and rapid option to unlock value at the Bendigo Project.And Trading Central has identified a bearish signal on ARB Corporation (ASX:ARB) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 8-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may fall from the close of $34.00 to the range of $26.25 to $27.50 according to standard principles of technical analysis. 

Wall St closed a turbulent week higher on Friday as Trump, once again, signalled there would be some ‘flexibility' with tariffs, however, he did maintain that the tariffs implemented at the April 2 deadline will be reciprocal, saying all countries that have tariffs on US goods will be taxed. The Nasdaq rose 0.2%, the Dow Jones added just 0.08%, and the S&P500 also ended the day up 0.08%. Companies are increasingly confused over the tariff implications in the US and as a result as uncertain about spend, hiring and forecasting until there is more clarity around tariff implications.In Europe on Friday, markets in the region closed lower led by travel stocks tumbling amid London's Heathrow Airport closure due to a fire on Friday. The STOXX 600, French CAC and the UK's FTSE100 ended the day down 0.6%, while Germany's DAX ended the day down 0.5%.Across Asia markets on Friday, stocks mostly fell in the region due to ongoing uncertainty around the US economy and tariff implications. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 2.19%, China's CSI index fell 1.52%, South Korea's Kospi index ended the day up 0.23%, and Japan's Nikkei ended the day down 0.2%.Locally on Friday, the ASX200 rose 0.17% despite Wall Street's turbulence on Thursday as market heavyweights propelled the key index to a positive finish. For the week, the ASX200 rose 1.83%Australia's supermarket giants posted strong gains on Friday after the ACCC released its 441-page findings of its ‘price gauging' investigation. Investors welcomed the findings outlining minimal evidence was found of price gauging and no disciplinary action would be taken against the two key providers in Coles and Woolworths.What to watch today:Ahead of Monday's trading session the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the new trading week down 0.51%.Commodity prices took a hit late in the week last week which weighed on the local materials sector as China's property market remains depreciated, and Trump's tariffs continue hurting demand for critical metals like copper.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.31% higher at US$68.28/barrel, gold is down 0.75% at US$3023.65/ounce and iron ore is down 0.15% at US$102/tonne.The Aussie dollar has slightly weakened against the greenback to buy US$0.62 cents, 93.69 Japanese Yen, 48.55 British Pence and NZ$1.09.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has initiated coverage of Cuscal (ASX:CCL) with a buy rating and a 12-month price target of $3.40 on the payments and regulated data service provider. Bell Potter's analyst sees compound gross revenue growth of 17.7% pa driven primarily by growth in transaction revenue across all core competencies and client wins. The company also has demonstrated a track record of innovation, investment and timing with launching milestone connectivity for all mobile payments and acquiring Basiq in 2024 to expand its market presence and offering.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Regis Healthcare (ASX:REG) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 109-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $6.72 to the range of $7.50 to $7.70 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Locally this week, the ASX200 rose 1.66% (Mon – Thurs), recovering some earlier losses. Ten of the eleven industry sectors closed in the green, while consumer staples were slightly lower. Energy stocks advanced the most, up 3.5% over the week so far. In this week's wrap, Grady covers: (0:10): the latest on Trump's tariffs & US policy volatility (0:37): fresh stimulus & economic data in Hong Kong (1:00): China's latest economic data(2:10): what this week's unemployment data means for the Aussie economy(3:58): the best & worst performing stocks on the ASX200 this week(4:45): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients (5:11): economic news items to watch next week. 

Submit your stock picks here: ausbiz.co/callpicksGrady Wulff from Bell Direct and Dean Robinson from Teaminvest go in-depth and stock specific on ‘the call.' Nuix (NXL)GQG Partners (GQG) Dexus (DXS) Centuria Industrial REIT (CIP)Premier Investments (PMV)Accent Group (AX1)ARB Corporation (ARB)Lycopodium (LYL)Southern Cross Electrical (SXE)PLS (PLS)Stock of the day: Nanosonics (NAN) to listen go to https://ausbiz.co/STODGet your stock pick to the front of the queue by becoming an ausbiz contributor: https://ausbiz.co/contributorsAnd we'd love it if you could leave us a review below! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wall Street slipped into the red again on Tuesday with the S&P500 fighting to stay out of correction territory as it trades 8.6% below its recent record, as investors remain concerned over the impacts Trump's tariffs will have on the US economy. The Dow Jones lost 0.62%, the S&P500 shed 1.07% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down 1.71%. Tesla shares have been hit hard lately and took a further 5% tumble on Tuesday after RBC Capital Markets lowered its price target on the EV company citing rising competition in the EV space.Over in Europe on Tuesday, markets in the region closed higher as investors assessed momentum in Germany's historic debt reform deal, which unlocks a major stimulus package for higher defence, infrastructure and climate fund spending. The STOXX 600 rose 0.61%, Germany's DAX added 1.03%, the French CAC gained 0.5% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.29%.Across the APAC region overnight Hong Kong's Hang Seng rallied again to a three-year high yesterday, ending the day up 2.29% as investors continue piling into tech stocks listed on the index following fresh stimulus and strong economic data out in the region. China's CSI index rose 0.27%, Japan's Nikkei gained 1.2% and South Korea's Kospi Index ended the day up 0.06%.Locally, the ASX started the week higher before pulling back yesterday as the local market is taking strong lead from Wall Street movements amid global uncertainty over Trump's tariffs and subsequent implications of taxes imposed on good being imported into the US. Rising geopolitical tensions in the form of Israel launching a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday propelled the price of gold to another fresh record high as investors flock into the safe-haven asset in times of great uncertainty.Defensive stocks in the utilities, consumer staples and healthcare sectors all outperformed yesterday, for a similar reason to gold's rally, as investors look for investments that are mostly unaffected by a downturn in the economy.On that note, Woolworths shares jumped over 1% yesterday after Macquarie upgraded the supermarket to an outperform rating, while former Woolworths alcohol arm, Endeavour slipped 1.6% yesterday after Goldman Sachs downgraded the alcohol retailer to neutral.What to watch today:Ahead of the midweek trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 0.66% tracking Wall Street's turbulence overnight.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.94% lower at US$66.95/barrel, gold is up 1.10% to a fresh record US$3032.60/ounce, and iron ore is down 0.52% at US$102.32/tonne.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback overnight to buy US$0.63, 94.99 Japanese Yen, 49.15 British Pence and 1 NZ$1.09 cents.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has decreased the 12-month price target on REA Group (ASX:REA) from $281 to $264 and maintain a buy rating on the leading online real estate listings platform following the release of February property data including a national listings declining 8% YoY for the month. REA also guided to ‘flat-to-marginal' increase in FY25 listings amid a slow housing market in Australia at present.

Our local market started the week retrieving earlier losses, gaining 0.18% yesterday, as energy, materials and utilities advanced. Polynovo (ASX:PNV) rebounded, leading the market up 4.6% at the close, while Beach Energy (ASX:BPT) closely followed. On the other hand, Johns Lyng Group (ASX:JLG) tumbled over 12% yesterday following the announcement that JP Morgan is now a substantial holder. Overnight, the 3- week market sell off in the US equities intensified as the key benchmarks continue to close in the red. The Dow Jones down nearly 900 points, the S&P500 down 2.7%, while the Nasdaq had its worst session since 2022, closing 4% lower. Investors are cautious amid fears that that uncertainty around tariff policy may tip the economy into a recession. What to watch locally today:Following US equities, the Australian market is set to open lower, with the SPI futures suggesting a drop of 0.88%.In commodities,Crude Oil is down 1.7% trading at US$65.90, nearing a 6- month low. Gold is down 0.78% at US$2,889 an ounce but remained near record highs as trade tensions continued to shape market sentiment, with investors closely watching U.S. inflation data due later this week for insights into the Federal Reserve's next moves.While iron ore is up slightly, trading at US$101.29.And the Aussie dollar is buying US$0.63, 49 British pence, 92.43 Japanese Yen and NZ$1.10.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter maintain a BUY rating on AMA Group (ASX:AMA) after the accident repair group reported a good result for the first half of FY25 last month. AMA also reiterated its FY25 guidance. There is no change to Bell Potter's price target of $0.08 which was updated last month following the release of the company's financial results. The price target is a more than 50% premium  to the share price.And Trading Central have identified a bullish signal in ClearView Wealth (ASX:CVW) indicating that the stock price may rise from the close of $0.47 to the range of $0.55 - $0.57 over 7 days, according to the standard principles of technical analysis.

Market movements this week were characterised by turbulence in US equities. The ASX200 declined 0.95% Monday to Thursday, with the energy sector weighing down on the market the most, followed by consumer staples and utilities. In this week's wrap, Sophia covers: (0:45): why defensive stocks have outperformed (2:11): shifts in global currency markets(2:29): the surge in optimism surrounding the Euro(3:16): how the ASX200 performed this week so far (3:44): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients (4:08): economic news items to watch out for. 

Wall St started the new trading week sharply lower as investors brace for the impact of Trump's tariffs on Mexico and Canada, of which come into effect on Tuesday US time. The Dow Jones fell 2.1%, the S&P500 lost 2.3% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq ended the day down a sharp 3.2%. Investor hopes of a last-minute deal to prevent the tariffs from going ahead were dashed in afternoon trade after President Trump reiterated the 25% levies on imports from Mexico and Canada will go ahead from Tuesday. Companies that face a direct hit from the tariffs tumbled yesterday including Ford and General Motors.Over in Europe on Monday, markets closed higher as defence stocks continue to surge amid renewed spend in the sector. The STOXX 600 rose 1.1%, Germany's DAX rose 2.6%, the French CAC added 1% and, in the UK, the FTSE 100 ended the day up 0.7%.Across the Asia region on Monday, markets mostly rose as investors awaited clarity on Trump's tariff plans. Japan's Nikkei rose 1.7%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.44%, Taiwan's Taiex index fell 1.3% and China's CSI index closed down just 0.04%.Locally on Monday the ASX started the new trading month in the green with the key index posting a 0.9% rise at the closing bell and all sectors ended the day higher led by Energy stocks rising 2.02%. The positive market sentiment comes ahead of a wave of tariff implications out of the US commencing this week which is set to shake up market returns and outlook, while we are also bracing locally for the latest slew of economic data with the GDP reading out later in the week. The energy rally on Monday was amid investor outlook for the price of oil to rise when tariffs on Mexico and Canada come into effect as they are two major exporters of crude.Embattled casino operator Star Entertainment Group shares were suspended on Monday following a trading halt after the company failed to lodge accounts to the ASX for reporting season.Medical imaging giant Pro Medicus jumped 3.2% on Monday after the company signed yet another deal to roll out its core imaging tools. The deal worth $40m is with US radiology provider LucidHealth and will see Pro Medicus devices and systems rolled out throughout the LucidHealth network.What to watch today:Ahead of Tuesday's trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 1.35% following Wall Street's tumble overnight.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 2.3% lower at US$68.16/barrel, gold is up 1.11% at US$2888.53/ounce and iron ore is down 0.21% at US$106.90/tonne.The Aussie dollar has weakened against the greenback to buy US$0.62, 92.84 Japanese Yen, 49.13 British Pence and NZ$1.11.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has maintained a buy rating on Harvey Norman (ASX:HVN) and have raised the 12-month price target on the home goods giant to $6.00/share following the release of 1H25 results including some key beats in the Australian franchising division and also in the NZ operations. Single digit earnings growth across most metrics was reported and the analyst increased the 12-month price target due to multiple catalysts near-mid-term such as improving sales trends and the growing AI movement.And Bell Potter has slightly increased the 12-month price target on Bub's Australia (ASX:BUB) to 15.5cps and maintain a hold rating on the infant formula producer following the release of the company's 1H25 results including net revenue growth of 24% to $48.5m, EBITDA of $0.5m compared to a loss of $6.8m in the PCP, and outlook for net revenue target for FY25 of $102m. The analyst sees Bub's continues to make inroads into the US however remains cognisant of the potential impact of tariffs (if any).

In the final week of reporting season, the ASX200 declined 0.34%, as technology stocks tumbled, while utilities and financial stocks offset some of the local market gains. This reporting season, 24 companies released their financial results, with 86 beatings expectations, 83 meeting expectations and 75 missing expectations. 37 companies have been upgraded by brokers, while 42 have been downgraded. In this week's wrap, Sophia covers:(0:42): why Qantas continues to soar as turbulence rocks other airlines(1:13): Light & Wonder's share price reaching records(1:55): differing investor reactions to the results of Woolworths & Coles (2:56): the best & worst performing stocks & ETFs this week (3:58): the most traded stocks by Bell Direct clients (4:22): economic news items to watch out for. 

Half-year earnings for Woolworths were lower as industrial action hit profits, but will Coles be a similar result? MARKET WRAP: ASX200: down 0.14%, 8,240 GOLD: $2,923 US/oz BITCOIN: $140,107 AUD Wisetech saw half-year profit and revenue up, but a return by founder Richard White as executive chairman saw shares higher, up by 2% to $96.50 PointsBet shares up 32% to $1.10 Worley lifted more than 10 per cent to $15.46 after the company announced a $500 million share buyback and delivered a 72 per cent jump in interim net profit to $183 million. Woolworths had a 21% drop in net profit to $739 million sending shares down more than 3% to $30.60. Flight Centre shares down more than 10% to $15.92 Lynas announced a significant drop in profit and no dividend. Shares closing down 1.7% to $6.85. CURRENCY UPDATE: AUD/USD: 63.30 US cents AUD/GBP: 50.0 pence AUD/EUR: 60 Euro cents AUD/JPY: 94 Japanese yen AUD/NZD: 1.10 NZ dollars See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over in the US on Tuesday, Wall St closed mostly lower following the release of the most recent consumer confidence survey that came in much weaker than expected. The S&P500 fell 0.47% for its fourth consecutive losing session while the Nasdaq declined 1.35%, but the Dow Jones ended the session up 0.37%. Escalating trade tensions are also weighing on investor sentiment and contributing to market uncertainty as investors weigh up the impacts of Trump's tariffs on Mexico and Canada which are set to be imposed next week.In Europe overnight, markets closed mixed in the region as corporate earnings and defence spend in the region remain a key focus for investors. The STOXX 600 rose 0.15%, Germany's DAX lost 0.13%, the French CAC fell 0.49%, and in the UK, the FTSE 100 ended the day up 0.11%.Across the APAC region on Tuesday, markets closed lower as investors await the full impact of Trump's tariffs on the region. Japan's Nikkei lost 1%, South Korea's Kospi Index lost 0.57% after South Korea's central bank unexpectedly cut rates in a bid to stimulate the slowing economy, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1.32%.The local market reversed Monday's gain to close 0.68% lower on Tuesday as a sharp sell-off in tech and discretionary stocks offset gains among utilities and staples stock. Investors have been very reactive to reporting season updates whilst also keeping an eye on valuations and movements out of the US, especially on the tariffs front.We had a slew of corporate results out yesterday that sparked mixed reactions among investors with sharp rises and falls reported in key share prices. Domino's Pizza shares tumbled over 10% after the leading global pizza maker swung to a loss in the first half amid $116m in one-off store closure related costs due to the company closing 205 loss-making stores.Johns Lyng Group was the worst performer yesterday with shedding over a quarter of its value as the share price plummeted over 30% after the company downgraded group earnings guidance. The building and restoration services provider across Aus and the US faced a challenging operating environment especially in Australia with benign weather conditions reducing the volume of insurance claims, while the US had project commencement delays impacting performance.And on the other hand, 2024 market darling Zip Co soared 14% yesterday on impressive 1H results including total transaction value up 23.9% to $6.2bn, lower bad debts, cash earnings more than doubling, increased growth in the US market and the company launched into the personal loans market in January.What to watch today:Ahead of the midweek session on the ASX, the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down 0.30% tracking Wall Street's lower session overnight.On the commodities front this morning oil is trading 2.7% lower at US$68.83/barrel, gold is down 1.58% at US$2903/ounce and iron ore is up 0.06% at US$107.19/tonne.The Aussie dollar has weakened against the greenback to buy US$0.63, 94.39 Japanese Yen, 50.16 British Pence and 1 NZ$1.11 cents.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has slightly decreased the 12-month price target on Adairs (ASX:ADH) from $2.85 to $2.65 but maintain a buy rating on the leading furniture retailer following the release of the company's first half results including revenue growth of 6.6% which was a good improvement from the last trading update however, the company's Focus on Furniture brand continues to weigh on results.And Trading Central has identified a bearish signal on Praemium (ASX:PPS) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 23-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may fall from the close of $0.78 to the range of $0.73 to $0.75 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Wall Street started the new trading week lower, extending on Friday's sharp inflation-data driven sell-off as many of the major tech companies come under pressure amid concerns over weakness in data centre spend and overvaluation in the space. The S&P500 lost 0.5% on Monday, the Nasdaq fell 1.21% and the Dow Jones ended the day down 0.08%. Trump tariffs are also weighing on investor sentiment at present after Trump said tariffs on Canada and Mexico will ‘go forward' after the monthlong postponement ends next week.In Europe overnight, markets mostly fell as investors reacted to the results of the German federal election. The STOXX 600 fell 0.08%, Germany's DAX rose 0.62%, the French CAC lost 0.78% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day flat.Shares in leading global on-demand food delivery company Just Eat Takeaway soared 54% after tech investor Prosus announced its plans to acquire the company in a deal worth $4.3bn.Across the APAC region on Monday markets mostly fell taking lead from Wall Street's worst session of the year last Friday after fresh inflation data in the US pointed to a slowing economy and sticky inflation. China's CSI index fell 0.22%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.58%, South Korea's Kospi index lost 0.35% and Japan's Nikkei was closed for a holiday.Locally to start the week, the ASX200 posted a 0.14% rise at the closing bell as strong gains for utilities and financial stocks more than offset the 6.84% tumble in tech stocks.Logistics software solutions provider WiseTech Global was the driver of the tech plummet yesterday as shares in the company dived 20.09% following news that four directors on the company's board quit over founder Richard White's ongoing role with the company.NIB Holdings on the other hand rose 12.5% after the company reaffirmed guidance for FY25 profits between the range of $235 - $250m as it focuses on a return to profitability for its New Zealand business.And EVT shares posted the greatest gain on the market yesterday with a rise of 12.88% after the property developer and operator posted a strong first half result including profits up 8.3% YoY which beat estimates by 83% driven by the company's hotel division achieving record earnings during the period.What to watch today:Ahead of Tuesday's trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day down a sharp 0.76% tracking Wall Street's sell-off overnight.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.68% higher at US$70.88/barrel, gold is up 0.61% at US$2952/ounce and iron ore is up 0.12% at US$107.13/tonne.The Aussie dollar has strengthened against the greenback to buy US$0.63, 95.04 Japanese Yen, 50.03 British Pence and NZ$1.11.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded the rating on Domain (ASX:DHG) following the announcement of US property giant CoStar making a $2.7bn takeover bid for the real estate platform. Nine Entertainment Co has a 60% controlling stake in Domain which remains a block for the acquisition, but Bell Potter's analyst sees the takeover bid as attractive.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Rural Funds Group (ASX:RFF) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 33-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $1.79 to the range of $1.88 to $1.90 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

With reporting season nearing its end, 84 companies have released results. Of these, 30 exceeded expectations, 27 met them, and 27 fell short. Wesfarmers and Universal Stores were among the companies surpassing expectations this week, while Super Retail Group was among those that missed. Also check out how the ASX performed this week.In this week's wrap, Grady covers: (0:38): WesCEF driving Wesfarmers' results(1:40): the excellent results from Universal Stores (2:27): inflationary pressures impacting Super Retail Group (3:36) the dividend focus in February's earnings season(5:19): how the ASX200 performed this week so far (6:17): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients(6:47): economic news items to watch out for.

Submit your stock picks here: ausbiz.co/callpicksGrady Wulff from Bell Direct and Howard Coleman from Teaminvest go in-depth and stock specific on ‘the call.' Computershare (CPU) Codan (CDA)Sonic Healthcare (SHL) GQG Partners (GQG)Fiducian group (FID)Brambles (BXB) James Hardie (JHX)AGL Energy (AGL) Newmont (NEM)Perenti (PRN) Stock of the day: Super Retail (SUL) vs Universal Store (UNI) to listen go to https://ausbiz.co/STODGet your stock pick to the front of the queue by becoming an ausbiz contributor: https://ausbiz.co/contributorsAnd we'd love it if you could leave us a review below! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The local market closed 0.2% higher on Friday, buoyed by a strong rally for the consumer staples sector amid strong results out of TWE and investors buying up the supermarket giants on Friday. For the week, the ASX posted a gain of 0.52% as industrials and the consumers stocks rallied, while healthcare stocks took a 3.75% hit over the 5-trading days.Reporting season ramped up on Friday with Avita Medical soaring 11% after the company announced a guidance range of $158m to $167m for commercial revenues in 2025, while GQG rose 5.9% after doubling net inflows to the half year to December.Hearing device specialist Cochlear on the other hand fell 13% on Friday after downgrading profit guidance for FY25 due to weaker services contribution and increased cloud-related investment, despite the company posting a 5% rise in sales in H1 to $1.17bn.In the US on Friday, markets closed mixed on Friday despite investors gaining certainty around Trump's tariff plans and fresh economic data signalling the US inflation story is not running hot as was previously feared. The Dow Jones fell 0.4%, the S&P500 fell just 0.01% and the Nasdaq ended the day up 0.41%. For the week, each of the major averages posted a gain. The latest US inflation reading out last week showed core inflation rose more than expected in January by 0.4% MoM, and 3.3% YoY, while the overall inflation rate rose to 3% YoY, while retail sales in the US fell 0.9% in January MoM, which was more of a decline than the markets were expecting.Across the European region on Friday, markets pulled back from record highs earlier in the week. The STOXX fell 0.24%, Germany's DAX lost 0.44%, the French CAC rose 0.18%, and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day down 0.37%.Asia markets closed mixed on Friday as investors assessed President Trump's reciprocal tariff plans but did not enact levies immediately. China's CSI index rose 0.87%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 3.48%, South Korea's Kospi Index gained 0.31%, and Japan's Nikkei fell 0.79%.What to watch today:Ahead of Monday's session on the ASX, the SPI futures are anticipating the local market will open the day down 0.61%.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 0.77% lower at US$70.74/barrel, gold is down 1.73% at US$2880.76/ounce and iron ore is up 0.06% at US$106.83/tonne.The Aussie dollar has strengthened against the greenback to buy US$0.63, 96.63 Japanese Yen, 50.47 British Pence and NZ$1.11.On the reporting season calendar today, Aurizon, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, BlueScope Steel, Lendlease Group and A2 Milk will release results.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has upgraded Pro Medicus (ASX:PME) from a hold to a buy rating and have increased the 12-month price target on the leading diagnostic imaging healthcare provider following the release of the company's first half results. Despite PME reporting a small miss on earnings, the outlook remains strong and with 10 contract announcements and strong growth in the cardiology space expected, the analyst sees strong upside potential for the company in H2.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on Endeavour Group (ASX:EDV) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 52-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $4.42 to the range of $4.68 and $4.74 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Australian companies are reporting mixed results this earnings season, with some exceeding expectations like CBA and Suncorp, while others, such as AGL, have fallen short. CBA's strong profit and Suncorp's boosted earnings from lower natural hazards led to positive investor reactions, while Evolution Mining saw significant profit growth in the gold sector. Next week promises a busy earnings calendar with major companies like BHP and Rio Tinto reporting.In this week's wrap, Grady covers: (0:25): the results that saw CBA rally(1:30): why insurance companies posted positive earnings (2:38): Evolution Mining's strong performance (4:19): why AGL's financial results took a hit(6:16): how the ASX200 performed this week so far (7:02): the most traded stocks & ETFs by Bell Direct clients(7:34): economic news items to watch out for.

Earnings season continues, with Commonwealth Bank, AGL, Suncorp and Evolution Mining all in the spotlight today. MARKET WRAP: ASX200: up 0.61%, 8,535 GOLD: $2,919 US/oz BITCOIN: $152,578 AUD CBA up another 2.4% to a new high of $165.98. Strong first half earnings of $287 million helped ComputerShare to lift 15.5% to $41.53. Suncorp shares up 1.3% to $20.62. AGL just managed to finish in the green as it bore the brunt of increased coal costs. While higher gold prices contributed to record earnings for Evolution Mining, with shares up 1.1% to $6.29. The tech sector finished down, with losses of 1.6% for Xero, Technology One sinking 1.8%, and NextDC dropping 2.4%. Down by more than 1% were Pro Medicus, James Hardie and Northern Star Resources. CURRENCY UPDATE: AUD/USD: 62.91 US cents AUD/GBP: 50.5 pence AUD/EUR: 60 Euro cents AUD/JPY: 96 Japanese yen AUD/NZD: 1.11 NZ dollars See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Reporting Season in full swing, investors continue to digest all the latest reports from the companies reporting their earnings. Strong results from companies in the healthcare space such as ResMed (ASX:RMD) and Ansell (ASX:ANN) impressed investors. How did JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) post strong results despite strong headwinds? Why did CSL's (ASX:CSL) latest report disappoint investors. Catch all the latest updates with Bell Direct to help you find your investing edge.

Over in the US so far on Tuesday, Wall Street closed mixed as Fed Chair Jerome Powell signalled concerns over the direction of the US economy amid US tariffs and the possibility of a global trade war. The Dow Jones climbed 0.1% while the S&P500 and Nasdaq dropped 0.2% and 0.6% respectively.In Europe overnight, markets closed higher as investors digested the latest Trump tariff announcements and The European Union plans to retaliate against the US for new steel and aluminium tariffs. The STOXX 600 rose 0.23%, Germany's DAX added 0.56%, the French CAC gained 0.28% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.11%.Across the APAC region on Tuesday, markets closed mixed as investors continued digesting the impacts and flow on effects of Trump's latest tariffs. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.06%, and China's CSI index fell 0.46%, while South Korea's Kospi Index rose 0.71% and Japan's markets were closed for a holiday.The local market started the new trading week lower on Monday before a choppy session that led to a flat close on Tuesday as a sharp sell-off in healthcare stocks weighed on the local index.Trump tariffs continue to dampen investor sentiment and fuel investor and central bank demand for gold stocks, bullion and exposure in portfolios given the safe-haven nature of the precious commodity at a time where economic and market certainty is unclear.CSL's results for the first half out yesterday weighed on the local market and healthcare sector as the healthcare giant fell nearly 5% yesterday despite beating expectations for 2 of the company's 3 divisions. The company's Behring business, which manufactures plasma products and provides collection services in the US, Australia, Europe and more, reported a strong first half with revenue up 10% and gross margin of 51.1% which beat expectations by 20bps. Investors likely sold out of the company amid warnings of FX headwinds to come in H2 and after the Seqirus division posted a 9% decline in revenue on the PCP.Gold miners rocketed again yesterday as the price of the precious commodity jumped over US$2900/ounce for the first time amid increased demand out of central banks and from investors due to the haven nature of the commodity in a time of great uncertainty.What to watch today:Ahead of the midweek trading session here in Australia the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX will open the day up 0.02%.The Aussie dollar has further strengthened against the greenback to buy US$0.62, 95.87 Japanese Yen, 50.70 British Pence and 1 NZ$1.11 cents.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 1.21% higher at US$73.19/barrel, gold is down 0.38% at US$2906/ounce and iron ore is up 0.56% at US$106.97/tonne.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has maintained a buy rating on CSL (ASX:CSL) but have lowered the 12-month price target from $345 to $335 following the release of the company's first half results showing revenue rose 5% but fell 1% short of BPe and NPATA rose 3% but was 4% below BPe. The analyst maintains a buy rating as the Behring division continues its strong growth outlook and positive margin recovery despite the Seqirus division facing headwinds of declining vaccine demand in the US.And Trading Central has identified a bullish signal on QBE Insurance Group (ASX:QBE) following the formation of a pattern over a period of 7-days which is roughly the same amount of time the share price may rise from the close of $20.43 to the range of $21.90 to $22.20 according to standard principles of technical analysis.

Wall St started the week in positive territory as investors looked past Trump's latest tariff talks about a blanket tariff on steel and aluminium imports, and bought into growth areas of the market. The Dow Jones rose 0.38%, the S&P500 added 0.67% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq led the gains with a near 1% rise.Strength in the US jobs market dampened investor hopes of a near-term rate cut as the latest unemployment data showed the jobless rate in the world's largest economy fell from 4.1% to 4% in January at the same time 143,000 jobs were added. The Fed has already cut the US cash rate once last year to 4.25% - 4.5%, however, with signals of a stronger labour market, a rise in the inflation rate for the last 3-months and strong retail sales growth, the US central bank is unlikely to cut rates again until these inflationary driver's ease.In Europe overnight markets in the region started the new trading week higher with the STOXX 600 gaining 0.58%, while Germany's DAX added 0.57%, the French CAC rose 0.42% and, in the UK, the FTSE100 ended the day up 0.77%.Across the APAC region on Monday, markets closed mixed as escalating tensions around Trump's tariff implications weighed on investor sentiment. Japan's Nikkei closed flat, South Korea's Kospi index also ended the day little unchanged, Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.76% and China's CSI index rose 0.21% after China's consumer inflation rose to a 5-month high in January amid higher consumer spend in the lead up to the Lunar New Year.Locally on Monday, the ASX200 started the new trading week in the red with a 0.34% loss at the closing bell as a sharp sell-off in tech stocks weighed on the local key index. Reporting season continued on Monday with key names releasing first half results that surprised investors. Trump's new tariffs on aluminium and steel weighed on the local index early in the session before realising that less than 1% of China's steel exports went to the US in 2024, and China is Australia's largest buyer of iron ore which is a key ingredient used to make steel.JB Hi-Fi faced inflationary pressures and subdued demand in the first half but still posted strong results, with total sales rising 9.8% to $5.67bn, NPAT up 8% to $285.4m, and an interim dividend increase of 7.6% to 170cps. However, investors sold off shares, likely due to a 13.5% rise in inventory and a 9bps drop in inventory turnover. Payables also increased by 16% YoY in H1. CEO Terry Smart's cautious remarks about retail market uncertainty and heightened competition likely spooked investors yesterday.Ansell on the other hand had investors buying in on Monday after the global leading protective equipment producer released strong first half results including sales growth of 12.5%, EBIT up 20.9% and a dividend of 22 US cps.What to watch locally today:Ahead of Tuesday's trading session on the ASX the SPI futures are anticipating the ASX to open the day up 0.37% tracking Wall Street's positive start overnight.On the local reporting season calendar today, we will likely see investors react to results out of global healthcare giant, CSL.On the commodities front this morning, oil is trading 2.02% higher at US$72.44/barrel, gold is up 1.68% at US$2907.41/ounce and iron ore is up 0.13% at US$106.37/tonne.The AUD has strengthened against the greenback to buy US$0.62, 95.29 Japanese Yen, 50.73 British Pence and NZ$1.11.Trading Ideas:Bell Potter has downgraded the rating on JB Hi-Fi (ASX:JBH) from a buy to a hold and have increased the 12-month price target on the leading tech retail company from $98 to $99/share following the release of the company's results yesterday. The downgrade to a hold follows the analyst believing JB is currently well valued and limited earnings upgrades in the near-term are priced in at a current PE multiple of around 23x.And Trading Central has id

With inflation moderating, Australians might get a rate cut soon. But who will be the winners & losers on the ASX? MARKET WRAP: ASX200: up 0.57%, 8,447 GOLD: $2,764 US/oz BITCOIN: $164,613 AUD Utility stocks saw the biggest bump - up 2.1% Increased optimism around the state of the lithium market sent Pilbara Minerals shares up 3.5% to $2.36. Perseus Mining was higher by 3.7% after reporting a rise in gold production in the December quarter. Utilities gains were led by Mercury, up 7.7%, AGL up 3.2% and Origin Energy up 1.6%. 890 million new shares hitting the market as part of the Myer-Premier Investments deal sent Premier’s shares down 20.7% to $22.67. Myer fell 5.2% to 91 cents a share. Miners BHP, Rio Tinto and South32 all saw losses, while a mixed day for the banks saw Commonwealth and NAB in the red. CURRENCY UPDATE: AUD/USD: 62.39 US cents AUD/GBP: 50.1 pence AUD/EUR: 60 Euro cents AUD/JPY: 96 Japanese yen AUD/NZD: 1.10 NZ dollars See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ASX200 fell almost 3 per cent this week after the US Federal Reserve warned interest rates will take longer than expected to come down. SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speak with Grady Wulff from Bell Direct to find out more; plus we discuss why shoppers are still prepared to spend more this Christmas season with Fleur Brown from the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Association.

ASX200: up 0.78%, 8,314 GOLD: $2,666 US/oz BITCOIN: $168,264 AUD Six sectors gained more than 1% Energy dropped another 1.1%, including losses for Whitehaven Coal, which dropped 3.2%, and New Hope shed 1.4%. Graphite maker Novonix secured a loan of $755 million from the US government, with shares up 3.4% today, up to 60.5 cents a share. PEXA Group saw gains of 8.2% after appointing a new CEO. A solid performance from the banks saw Commbank up 1.6%, NAB rising 1.5%, ANZ up 0.8% and Westpac 0.7% Bega Cheese rose 3.2%, and Super Retail Group lifted 2.5%. APA shares back 1.5% to $7.18. GYG, Treasury Wine Estates and Mineral Resources all finished down. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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