The ASX is likely to remain flat for the day. ASX 200 futures are down 18 points or 0.2% to 7,825 points after US markets closed.
Yesterday, the ASX200 finished 86 points higher at 7782 (+1.12%). The Financials (+1.74%), Consumer Discretionary (1.50%) and Real Estate (1.40%) sectors led the way, but Health Care (-0.17%) and Utilities (-0.59%) finished lower on the day.
“The ASX200 surged yesterday as a tidal wave of relief swept across regional equity markets after the Fed kept rates on hold yesterday morning and maintained its outlook for three rate cuts this year,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said.
“After being slow to respond to the initial signs of inflation, the RBA isn’t anywhere near signalling rate cuts yet and is perhaps lamenting its decision on Tuesday to water down its mild tightening bias as jobs data for February surprised to the upside. The Australian economy added 116,500 jobs in February, versus the 40,000 gain expected.
"The unemployment rate fell to 3.7% from 4.1%. A combination that means the RBA is unlikely to cut rates until August at the earliest.
“Despite the robust jobs data sending Australian bond yields higher across the curve, interest rate-sensitive ASX200 sectors outperformed, highlighted by the ASX200 Property Sector, marking a fresh two-year high. Mirvac added 2.80% to $2.20, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) added 1.9% to $31.00, and GPT GROUP (ASX:GPT) added 1.60% to $4.50.”
On the small cap front, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries (XSO) closed Thursday 1.92% up at 3,092.80. The index is 1.45% higher for the week.
The last of the Australian data for the week is due today, with investors looking out for the RBA's financial stability review at 11.30am AEDT.
Overnight in the US
The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq hit fresh all-time highs overnight. FedEx’s stock jumped 10% after the logistics company raised guidance and trimmed spending and Reddit closed its first day of trading 50% higher.
Sycamore said: “The dovish RBNZ interest rate meeting in late February provided the opening lines of a new central bank song. This week, the RBA, the Fed, the Swiss National Bank, and the Bank of England joined for the dovish chorus. The song tells the story of central banks being less concerned with inflation and more concerned with growth. It concludes with expectations of rate cuts being reinforced and growth prospects backstopped.
“Little wonder US equity markets surged to fresh record highs overnight, shaking off a 4.09% fall in Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)'s share price after the DoJ sued the company for anticompetitive behaviour and with the green light to look through any nasties in next week’s core PCE inflation data. The rates market is pricing in a 66% chance of a rate cut in June, up from nearly 50% earlier in the week. There are 80bp of Fed rate cuts priced for 2024.”
- The Dow Jones index rose by 269 points or 0.7%.
- The S&P 500 index gained 0.3%.
- The Nasdaq index added 32 points or 0.2% - all closing at fresh record highs.
European markets
Climbed on Thursday, hitting all-time highs. Technology shares jumped 3.2% with chipmaker ASML (AS:ASML) up 5.6% after Micron (NASDAQ:MU)'s strong revenue forecast. The Swiss National Bank cut its main interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.50%, making it the first major central bank to dial back tighter monetary policy aimed at tackling inflation.
- The main Swiss Market index closed up 0.7%.
- The continent-wide FTSEurofirst 300 index gained 0.9%.
- In London, the UK FTSE 100 index jumped 1.9% after the Bank of England held interest rates steady and Governor Andrew Bailey said Britain's economy is "moving in the right direction" for the central bank to start cutting interest rates.
Currencies and commodities
Currencies
Were weaker against the US dollar in European and US trade.
- The Euro fell from US$1.0940 to US$1.0854 and was near US$1.0860 at the US close.
- The Aussie dollar dipped from US66.33 cents to US65.60 cents and was near US65.70 cents at the US close.
- The Japanese yen eased from 150.76 yen per US dollar to JPY151.74 and was near JPY151.65 at the US close.
Commodities
Global oil prices fell on Thursday, pressured by weaker US gasoline demand data and reports of a United Nations draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. US gasoline product supplied, a proxy for product demand, slipped below 9 million barrels last week.
- The Brent crude price fell by US17 cents or 0.2% to US$85.78 a barrel.
- The US Nymex crude price slipped US20 cents or 0.2% to US$81.07 a barrel.
Base metal prices climbed on Thursday.
- Copper futures added 0.2%.
- Aluminium futures gained 1.1% to an 11-week high as buying interest increased with improving demand prospects from top consumer China.
- On Thursday, the gold futures price rose by US$23.70 or 1.1% to US$2,184.70 an ounce.
- Spot gold was trading near US$2,182 an ounce at the US close after hitting an all-time high of US$2,222.39 an ounce earlier in the session.
- Iron ore futures gained 65 US cents or 0.6% to US$110.94 a tonne buoyed by renewed expectations of further monetary policy easing in China and improved profitability among steelmakers.