Stocks had a mixed performance on Wall Street overnight. By the close, the Dow Jones had fallen 55 points, or 0.1%, to 34,023, the S&P 500 had gained 0.4% to 4,374 and the Nasdaq had added 112 points, or 0.6%, to 13,559.
Pre-Nvidia results
The latter two indexes rebounded ahead of Nvidia’s quarterly results on Wednesday. The chip giant’s shares fell 1.3% but renewed optimism about artificial intelligence supported broader market sentiment.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) surged 5.6% following reports that the incoming US administration might ease rules for self-driving cars.
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) climbed 3%, while Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) gained 1.3% and 2.8%, respectively.
Conversely, Uber and Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) shares tumbled 5.4% and 4.5% respectively, after disappointing guidance.
Super Micro Computer rallied 15.9% after reports suggested it would avoid delisting from Nasdaq. Nike (NYSE:NKE) dragged on the Dow Jones index, falling 2.3% as analysts expressed caution over the retail outlook.
Europe cautious
In Europe, markets opened the week on a cautious note, with real estate stocks declining 1.7%.
On the other hand, the Basic Resources sector was the standout, rising 0.6%, driven by higher copper prices.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index edged up 0.1%, while London’s FTSE 100 outperformed with a 0.6% gain, bolstered by a 3.2% rally in precious metal miners.
Melrose (LON:MRON) Industries jumped 7.6% after reporting robust revenue growth and promising a surge in free cash flow by 2025.
Currencies and commodities
Currency markets were mixed against the US dollar. The Euro strengthened, rising from US$1.0532 to US$1.0606, settling near US$1.0595 at the US close.
The Aussie dollar gained ground, lifting from 64.47 US cents to 65.10 US cents, supported by positive sentiment around commodity prices.
Meanwhile, the yen weakened from 154.31 yen per US dollar to 155.32 yen before stabilising near 154.60 yen.
Commodity prices saw strong movements on Monday. Oil surged after Norway’s Johan Sverdrup oilfield halted production, exacerbating concerns over supply disruptions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Brent crude rose by US$2.26, or 3.2%, to US$73.30 a barrel, while US Nymex crude added US$2.14, or 3.2%, to US$69.16.
Gold futures snapped a six-day losing streak, rising by US$44.50, or 1.7%, to US$2,614.60 an ounce, as safe-haven demand strengthened.
Iron ore futures edged higher by 0.1% to US$101.76 a tonne amid hopes for Chinese economic stimulus.
Base metals were mixed; copper rose 1.4% while aluminium fell 1.2%, weighed by China’s policy changes.
Economic data
The US National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) housing market index climbed from 43 in October to a seven-month high of 46 in November, beating expectations of 42. US Treasury yields dipped, with the 10-year yield falling by 1 basis point to 4.42% and the 2-year yield easing to 4.29%, as investors monitored developments in US fiscal policy.
Several ASX-listed companies, including ALS and Technology One, are set to report earnings, while BlueScope Steel (ASX:BSL), SEEK, Sonic Healthcare and KMD Brands will host Annual General Meetings.
In the US, key economic data on housing starts and building permits is expected, alongside earnings from major retailers Walmart (NYSE:WMT) and Lowe’s.
Investors will also continue to monitor geopolitical tensions and the performance of the US dollar, which could influence commodity and currency markets further.
Market snapshot
- ASX 200 futures: -0.1% to 8,402 points.
- Australian dollar: +0.4% at 65.31 US cents.
- S&P 500: +0.4% to 5,916 points.
- Nasdaq: +1% to 18,987 points.
- FTSE: -0.1% to 8,099 points.
- EuroStoxx: +0.5% to 500 points.
- Spot gold: +0.8% to $US2,632/ounce.
- Brent crude: +0.3% to $US73.48/barrel.
- Iron ore: +1.8% to $US101.15/tonne.
- Bitcoin: +1.3% to $US92,523.
Source: ABC