Afternoon report 17/09/2026 16:43

The Match Out: ASX firms post-Fed as Financials rotate back into favour

The ASX edged higher today, extending yesterday's move, following the Federal Reserve’s move to push the cash rate higher overnight. The Fed delivered the 25bp hike as expected, though commentary pointed to further tightening as Chair Kevin Warsh reiterated a firm stance on inflation. That initially pushed global markets lower, although bond yields subsequently eased and provided some relief for equities.

Alerts 17/09/2026 09:55

Trade Alerts – Growth, Emerging & International Equities Portfolios

MM is selling out of Lithium exposure

Morning report 17/09/2026 09:39

What Matters Today: Is salt about to disrupt the lithium market?

The ASX 200 eked out a +0.3% gain ahead of the Fed's rate decision, primarily courtesy of a bounce by the miners, while CBA was the largest drag on the local index, slipping 0.6%. It was encouraging to see the selling pressure across the ASX subside, but with markets becoming increasingly hawkish, we feel investors require some “good news” before they take on more risk with global central banks set to start hiking as elevated oil prices continue to stoke inflation expectations.

Afternoon report 16/09/2026 17:14

The Match Out: ASX inches up ahead of tonight’s Fed call, Brookfield confirms RWC takeover

The ASX finished modestly higher today in a mixed session with energy the clear standout as elevated oil prices continued to support the sector, while parts of the broader resources complex attempted to stabilise after recent heavy selling.

Morning report 16/09/2026 09:31

Portfolio Positioning: September is delivering both weakness & opportunity

The ASX 200 fell another 0.9% on Tuesday, extending September’s decline to 4.5% and pushing the index into negative territory for 2026. The local market has become something of the “ugly duckling” among its global peers, particularly compared with Japan’s Nikkei (+24%) and the US S&P 500 (+12%).

Afternoon report 15/09/2026 16:46

The Match Out: ASX slides again as Miners and Banks weigh, Tech finds relief

The ASX continued its slide today, falling to a fresh three-month low as banks and miners came under renewed pressure, extending the broader market weakness. The index is now down around 6.5% from its 6 August record high. Macro continues to drive the sell-off; news flow around individual companies is almost non-existent, with oil, bond yields, and expectations for further central bank tightening later this week dominating sentiment.

Morning report 15/09/2026 09:43

What Matters Today: What If the Cracks in the AI Trade Spread?

The ASX 200 did well to eke out a modest gain on Monday despite a steady stream of negative news and weakness across global equity markets. Gains in the banks almost exactly offset weakness in the miners as the news continued to weigh on the previously high-flying sector

Afternoon report 14/09/2026 16:44

The Match Out: ASX edges higher as energy and healthcare hold firm; lithium and uranium stay under pressure

The ASX broke a four-day losing streak today, but only just, finishing essentially flat after an early gain of around ~0.3% faded through the afternoon.

Morning report 14/09/2026 09:53

Macro Monday: Will the ASX (+0.3%) continue to underperform the S&P 500 (+11.9%) in 2026?

The oil price is starting to weigh heavily on bond markets and the ASX, but US stocks are taking the geopolitical unrest in its stride, despite markets now pricing in two Fed 0.25% rate hikes by Christmas.

Weekend report 12/09/2026 10:11

Weekend Q&A: Rising bond yields send the ASX 200 down to 10-week lows

The ASX 200 fell 2.9% last week, extending the month's decline to 3.7% - we did warn members that September is the historically weakest month of the year! For reference, the worst-performing September of the last decade was 2022, when bond yields also surged higher, and that year the index closed down 7.3%.