The ASX 200 is set to open higher in early trading, with ASX Futures indicating a 37-point of 0.48% lift as of 8:30 am AEDT.
There was plenty of movement overnight – gold hit fresh all-time highs once again, bitcoin pulled back from its own record high and Powell stated interest rates had likely peaked in the US but signalled no urgency in cutting them.
US markets took the news positively, with all three major indices making gains – the S&P500 added 0.51%, the Dow 0.2% and the Nasdaq 0.58%.
Gold peaked at US$2,154.89 overnight, while iron ore dropped 0.62% to US$116.21, and West Texas crude gained 1.16% as US inventories were about 700,000 barrels lighter than expected.
Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of US$69,000 but had slipped 7% within 24 hours. The cryptocurrency rose 2.48% today, an indication that the bulls may still be in play.
What’s moving markets?
US and European market movements (source: Commsec)
Tech and chip stocks made gains overnight – both Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) and Nvidia gained about 3.1%. Lithium miner Abemarle’s stock jumped 9.3% from its lowest point in three years after an oversubscribed capital raise netted the company US$2 billion.
Dexcom now boasts the first glucose biosensor cleared in the US for use without prescription after the US FDA gave clearance for its over-the-counter product Stelo. Shares lifted 9.8%.
Finally, bank holding company New York Community Bancorp (NYSE:NYCB) lifted 7.5% after raising US$1 billion in capital.
In Europe, the continent’s equity index hit an all-time high. Tech shares followed US counterparts up 1.3%, while Financials gained 1.1% after the London Stock Exchange Group (LON:LSEG) added 2.3% on a US$2.4 billion sale of shares in the London bourse owner.
UK Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt also revealed the spring budget, which will include tax cuts, and stated the Bank of England’s 2% inflation target would be achieved within the next few months.
The FTSE300 and FTSE100 both lifted by 0.4%.
Currencies and commodities
The US dollar was weaker in trading overnight.
The Euro rose from US$1.0850 and was near US$1.0895 at the US close. The Aussie lifted from US65.11 cents and was near US65.65 cents at close. The Japanese Yen firmed from 149.95 yen per US dollar to JPY149.40 at the US close.
Base metals climbed on a weaker US dollar. Copper futures rose 0.7% and aluminium futures gained 1.1% as inventories in London Metal Exchange (LME) warehouses fell to a six-month low.
On the small cap front
The ASX Small Ordinaries fell 9.5 points or 0.31%, trailing behind the ASX200’s 6.7-point gain yesterday.
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