Ask James: Volatility in commodities land is off the charts!

Alerts 07/10/2026 09:45

Trade Alert – Active Growth Portfolio

We are adding a new position to the Growth Portfolio

Morning report 07/10/2026 09:42

Portfolio Positioning: Consumer confidence tests its 30-year low

The ASX advanced +0.6% on Tuesday on relatively broad based gains with over 60% of the main board closing higher. However, it was the rare combination of strength in both materials and financials that dragged the index higher, contributing ~86% of the days advance from a points perspective. What caught our eye was some buying coming back into some of the consumer facing stocks, ironically just as consumer confidence data plunged towards a 30-year low - there’s nothing quite like the combination of rising interest rates and cost-of-living pressures to squeeze everyday Australians, particularly when the holy grail of household wealth - property prices, are falling at the same time.

Afternoon report 06/10/2026 17:03

The Match Out: ASX continues its bounce as REITs and Materials drive gains

The ASX moved higher for a third straight session with some confidence returning to the market. The rally was driven by a very different mix of stocks to what we saw on Wall Street overnight, with Real Estate leading despite bond-yields remaining elevated, and Materials also looking strong. Technology was the only significant detractor, failing to mirror the move seen overnight in the US as the tech-focused Nasdaq surged to new all-time highs.

Morning report 06/10/2026 09:41

Macro Monday, on a Tuesday: Bond yields continue to weigh on stocks

The financial press keeps telling us that stocks are expensive and a correction is inevitable, yet US markets remain within 1% of new all-time highs. The chart below tells an interesting story about the two factors pulling the S&P 500 in opposite directions through 2026. Blended forward EPS estimates have surged 35% since year-end, reflecting strong corporate earnings, particularly across AI-related companies, yet the index itself is up only +11.8%.

Weekend report 03/10/2026 08:27

Weekend Q&A: Has the ASX 200 found its low?

The ASX 200 finished a volatile week up +0.2%, almost as if Thursdays ~2% plunge to fresh four month lows didn’t exist. The weekly change masked significant volatility as investors digested the RBA’s fourth rate hike of 2026 alongside softer-than-expected inflation data. Technology was the standout sector, surging 7.3%, while the dominant theme remained interest rates, with the cash rate reaching a 15-year high of 4.6%, although softer CPI and Governor Bullock’s subsequent comments tempered expectations for further tightening.

Afternoon report 02/10/2026 17:15

The Match Out: ASX bounces back as broker upgrades lift market out of two-day funk

The ASX bounced today following yesterday’s broad-based sell-off with the rebound driven by a recovery in Technology, while nine of the 11 sectors finished higher. The move leaves the index up +0.2% for the week after a volatile few sessions, with the market still looking for confirmation that the recent surge in bond yields and oil prices has potentially peaked.

Alerts 02/10/2026 09:48

Trade Alerts – Active Growth & Income Portfolios

We are making changes to our Active Growth and Active Income Portfolios today.

Morning report 02/10/2026 09:20

ETF Friday: 3 ETFs for yield away from Private Credit

The ASX 200 was walloped ~2% on the first day of October, registering its biggest daily fall in over six months on broad based selling which saw over 90% of the main board close lower. The selling was compounded by the index breaking to fresh 4-month lows, triggering momentum and trend following systems sell to more, erasing close to $60bn from the index in the process. We believe the aggressive nature of yesterday’s decline came down to three reasons.

Afternoon report 01/10/2026 16:46

The Match Out: ASX gets hit, falls to 3-month low as global bond yields push higher

Today's move was effectively the mirror image of yesterday with the ASX back to its lowest level since June. The market rallied almost 1% yesterday on softer CPI and hopes that the RBA may be close to the end of its tightening cycle, but bond yields reversed higher overnight and quickly put that trade under pressure.

Morning report 01/10/2026 09:35

What Matters Today: Can the RBA and CPI light a fuse under rate-sensitive stocks?

The ASX 200 shrugged off renewed concerns around private credit to surge 0.9% on Wednesday, helped by a rare ‘one-two’ of bond-friendly economic news.