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As lunch passes the ASX200 is trading at 6,125.70 higher by 6.95 points or +0.11% with Consumer Discretionary and Technology higher by 0.95 and 0.83 percent respectively.  Across Asia the NIKKEI is trading up +0.98 and the HANG SENG is higher by +1.42%.



Pendal Group Ltd. was among the best performers for a second day after a rating upgrade at Evans and Partners Pty. following its half-year results. AMP shares are down -5.3% as the Australian Budget changes increases risks for AMP along with the company being hit with a protest vote at its annual meeting.

As lunch passes the ASX200 is trading at 6,063.80 down 37.47 or -0.57% with utilities  and financials leading the declines as both sectors are down -1.33% and -1.13% respectively. Across Asia, major indexes have also fallen away as the Nikkei is down -0.16% and the HANG SENG is -0.57% worse off.

The RBA released in statement on Monetary Policy this morning which the central bank edged up core inflation and unemployment forecasts for 2018 and reaffirmed that tighter policy will be needed “at some point.” The Reserve Bank of Australia predicted unemployment of 5.5% this year vs its 5.25% estimate in February and underlying inflation of 2% vs 1.75% three months earlier.

Investors will be awaiting U.S. jobs data – Nonfarm payrolls released at 10:30pm local time tonight where an increase from last month’s figure of 103,000 to come in at 192,000.

It’s all green to me, the ASX200 is trading at 6,109.30 up 59.31 points or +0.98% with all sectors in positive territory. Leading the gains are tech and consumer staple stocks as the sectors are higher by +1.93% and +1.53% respectively. In the rest of Asia, the Nikkei is lower -0.16% and the Hang Seng has fallen -1.78%.

In economic news, Trade Balance for March came in at $1527 million vs the estimated $865 million, whilst Building Approvals YoY 2.6% vs 1.0% and MoM 14.5% vs 10.6%.

In late afternoon trading the ASX200 is trading at 5,934.30 higher by 35.53 points or +0.40% with strong gains in utilities +2.41% and healthcare +2.41%, whilst the financials are the only declining sector for the day down -0.24%. Nonosonics is the best performers of the day after receiving U.S. FDA approval for a second generation of a device to prevent ultrasound probe cross-infection. 

In our local market the ASX200 is currently trading at 5910.20 down 11.35 points or -0.19% led by declines in the financials stocks. The sector is the largest percentage decliner of the day down -1.80% with NAB -2.11%, WBC -3.94%, CBA -1.50% and ANZ -2.94%. Across Asia, the Nikkei is trading at 22334.84 up 119.94 points or +0.54% and the Hang Seng is lower by 208.09 points or -0.68% at 30122.97.

The ASX200 is currently trading at 5,867.90 down 13.10 points or -0.22% with the Telecommunication Services leading the declines -1.30%. In corporate news, WiseTech Global Ltd. was among the biggest losers on the Australian benchmark as Asian tech stocks retreated after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s disappointing forecast. Evolution Mining Ltd. tumbled from Thursday’s record high after La Mancha Group lowered its stake in the company to 15 percent and the stock was downgraded at two brokerages.

In currency markets, USDJPY is advancing to 107.63 pushing higher from steady CPI y/y data coming out of Japan this morning. The AUDUSD is trading at 0.7715 after trading lower from yesterday’s one month high of 0.7813.

The ASX200 is currently trading at 5,886.80 up 25.88 points or +0.41% with the Materials sector leading the way higher by +2.31%. The Nikkei is currently trading at 22,296.14 up 137.94 or +0.62% leading the way higher for indices in the region.

The market has been pushed higher after stronger commodities prices lifted BHP, RIO and shares in other miners. Alumina Ltd. was the best performer after it announced it received $266.2 million from AWAC entities and Western Areas Ltd. gained after nickel prices rallied. TPG Telecom Ltd. was among the worst performers after being cut to sell at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The ASX200 is currently trading at 5,861.10 up 19.85 points or +0.34% with Consumer discretionary leading the way among the gaining sectors of the day. On the flip side, Telecommunications are the worst performing sector down -1.12%. The Nikkei has surged ahead higher by +1.47% or 321.37 points trading at 22,164.13.

With easing tensions between the U.S. and Syria overnight markets have taken the lack of military activity as a positive and shifted their focus back to earnings and economic releases. All three major indices in the U.S closed higher and gains were widespread as all eleven S&P 500 sectors closed higher. After hours we have seen a strong move higher in the shares of Netflix (NFLX) which reported after the bell and subsequently its stocks price traded up towards $225.00 per share on strong growth in its subscriber base. Tonight’s earnings focus is a big one with the likes of Goldman Sachs (GS) United Health (UNH) Lam Research (LRCX) United Airlines (UAL) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) all scheduled to report.

As lunch passes, the ASX200 is trading higher, up 23.87 points or +0.41% at 5,839.40 with the technology sector leading the gains up +1.26%, along with Health Care +1.06%. In Asia, the Nikkei is up +0.51% or 111.41 points at 21772.40 and the Hang Seng is down -0.16% or 56.71 points at 30774.11.