HomeReportsThe Match Out: Triple digit gains for the ASX with…
A classic risk-on day for local equities, with investors embracing the dual engine of bank strength and a relentless gold bid. Materials were the clear standout, but the breadth of today’s rally was also impressive, with most sectors participating as the new quarter seemed to attract new $$. Healthcare has been the real index laggard in recent periods but today saw an obvious change of trend with CSL having the biggest influence from an index perspective, up nearly 4%.
The ASX was hit today, unwinding yesterday’s strong recovery from the lows, with commentary from RBA Chair Michelle Bullock at an AFR event dovetailing into higher oil prices driving a sharp increase in local bond yields on firming rate hike expectations at the next meeting.
The ASX200 was firm on Monday, shrugging off the conflict in the Middle East to close marginally higher, trading and closing above 9200 for the first time - not a good day for the bears! The index clawed back early losses as heavyweight miners rebounded from initial weakness to push firmly into positive territory. BHP led from the front, rallying over $2 from its early low to end the session up +1.4% at another all-time high, adding 14-points to the index on its own. By the close, the Materials and Energy Sector combined to add 67-points to the main board, offsetting the 55-point negative contribution from the financials as the story remained the same on the performance front.
The ASX was hit early on the Iran conflict, down ~1% before recovering as the day progressed to finish a couple of points higher – not a great day for the bears who sold early. US Futures were trading down 1% at the outset, and while they recovered ~0.20% throughout the session, the resilience by the ASX was impressive, underpinned by Gold, Energy & defensives.
Last week was again volatile at the stock level as the local reporting season drew to a close, but the index forged ahead, absorbing what was thrown at it and closing up 1.3% at a new all-time high. The materials sector continued to do the heavy lifting, closing up +7.4%, ably supported by the consumer staples, which ended up 5%, while the retailers were a notable weak link with the consumer discretionary sector ending the week down 3.3%. With BHP surging more than $5, also closing at an all-time high on Friday, the market enjoyed a huge uplift from the “Big Australian” while beats trumped misses, which bodes well through 2026, although there were some standouts in both camps.
ASX experienced a quiet Friday managing to firm into the close ending the week at another all-time high. But again, there was still plenty of volatility on the stock level as we approach the end of reporting season.
The ASX 200 posted another all-time high on Thursday, closing up +0.5% after flirting with the psychological 9200 level in the morning. IT stocks led gains, with the sector surging +5.2% amid a broad-based rally that saw 7 of 11 sectors trade higher. Health care rebounded 1.6% following recent weakness, supported by a strong interim result from Ramsay Health Care. The miners again provided meaningful support, rising 1.0% and pushing to fresh highs as BHP extended its record run, trading above $58 for the first time - even after closing 50c below its intra-day high Australia’s biggest stock added more than 20 points to the index, or more than 40% of the day's gain.
The ASX pushed to another record close, extending its February rally with a strong bounce back in tech on a positive read through from Nvidia’s result, and the vast majority of companies reporting better than hoped earnings.
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