BUSINESS

Australian Stock Market Report – Afternoon November 24, 2014

Stock market
Australian shares have surged on Monday with the ASX 200 Index up 1.1 per cent and closing above 5350pts. A surprise rate cut by China's central bank on Friday has led the mining and energy producing companies higher. This follows five consecutive days of weakness from local shares; the worst week in Australia since June 2013.
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n office worker walks past an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) window showing the main losses for the day in central Sydney July 23, 2012. Australian shares slumped 1.7 percent on Monday, the biggest one-day fall in seven weeks, as investors fled from

Australian Stock Market Report –Afternoon November 21, 2014

The Australian sharemarket has finished the session weaker for a fifth straight day. The All Ords (XAO) slipped 0.2 percent to 5,292, while the S&P/ASX 200 (XJO) fell 0.2 percent to 5,304. Eight out of 10 sectors were lower, led by Utilities, which lost 1.5 percent. The S&P/ASX 200 has fallen 2.7 percent this week on heavy selling in the materials and energy sectors.
Asian stock market

Australian Stock Market Report – Midday November 21, 2014

Australian shares are losing ground for the fifth day and remain only modestly above the 5300pt level. The ASX 200 Index is down by 0.1 per cent at lunch and takes the losses to 2.6 per cent this week. Should nothing change this afternoon this will be the worst week for local shares since June 2013.
People are reflected on an electronic board showing the Japanese yen's exchange rate against the U.S. dollar outside a brokerage in Tokyo November 20, 2014. Asian stocks mostly fell on Thursday as fresh data signalling a further loss of momentum in China'

Global Markets Overview – November 21, 2014

Global markets were mixed as investors focusing on specific economic factors driving sentiment. Equities in the US managed to recover from the FOMC meeting minutes, with investors responding positively to some solid housing data and a sharp bounce in the Philly Fed manufacturing index. The CPI release was also interesting, coming in ahead of estimates; service prices drove the reading despite goods prices actually falling.
A man carries an umbrella in the rain as he passes the New York Stock Exchange October 16, 2014. Stocks on Wall Street rebounded from earlier lows on Thursday to trade little changed as a flurry of economic reports helped ease fears a weakening global eco

Australian Stock Market Report – Morning November 21, 2014

In the US, the Philadelphia Fed Business Activity Index lifted from 20.7 to 40.8 in October - its highest reading since 1993. The new orders sub-index was at the highest level in 26 years. US Consumer prices were unchanged in October to be 1.7% higher than a year ago. The tame result was driven by a slide in energy prices (-1.9%) and gasoline prices (-3%) in October. Excluding food and energy prices were up 0.2% to be up 1.8% on a year ago.
A man looks the board of the Australian Securities Exchange in central Sydney August 7, 2013. Australian shares skidded 1.3 percent on Wednesday, its biggest fall in five weeks, hit by sharp falls in miners and financials as regional markets tracked a sof

Australian Stock Market Report –Afternoon November 20, 2014

Australian shares extended their losses this afternoon with hefty losses from the miners a major drag. The ASX 200 Index slumped by 1 per cent to 5316.2 and makes it the worst week since early December 2013 for local shares. Equities have fallen for four straight days and are trading at fresh one-month lows.
A mine worker looks at stacks of coal in an open-cast steam coal mine located in the Ordos mining district, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, March 14, 2014. China's top producing coal province of Inner Mongolia, where Ordos is located, is in crisis. Tumb

Global Markets Overview – November 20, 2014

Equity trading is getting ugly again; the US has been absent-mindedly meandering higher over the past month yet that lead has not transferred to Asian markets (disregarding the spending machine that is Japan).
Housing

Australian Stock Market Report – Morning November 20, 2014

In the US, housing starts fell by 2.8% to a 1.009 million annual rate in October. Analysts had tipped a result near 1.025m. But building permits were stronger than expected, up 4.8%. The mortgage market index rose by 5.2% in the latest week. And there were net capital outflows totalling US$55.6m in September.
Office workers are reflected as they walk past the Australian Securities Exchange building in central Sydney April 8, 2011. Singapore Exchange Ltd has terminated its $8 billion bid for Australia's ASX Ltd after the Australian government formally rejected

Australian Stock Market Report –Afternoon November 19, 2014

The ASX 200 continued to lose ground over the course of the afternoon. While the market finished around session lows, the more discouraging aspect of the session was the index breaking down through the 5400 level. In the last day the market had shown some signs of support around this key support level, although today's close indicated that the sellers had won out. The more important measure will be whether the index closes above 5400 on a weekly closing basis.
A man is reflected as he walks past the Australian Securities Exchange building in central Sydney April 8, 2011. Singapore Exchange Ltd has terminated its $8 billion bid for Australia's ASX Ltd after the Australian government formally rejected the offer o

Australian Stock Market Report – Midday November 19, 2014

In the last two and a half weeks there have been only 3 occasion on which the ASX 200 has risen. The weaker trend was once again in force at the open of trade on Wednesday. While the early losses for the ASX 200 were contained; the index was down 18 points at the low of the session; it appeared clear that sellers were still keen to test the index in terms of support around the 5400 mark. Whether the market holds above this level will be one of the key matters to resolve over the remainder of the...
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kicks a soccer ball during a meeting with Brazilian soccer players in Brasilia

Global Markets Overview – November 19, 2014

The final market altering event of 2014 is now underway. I've been keenly watching political and fiscal events that have transpired in Japan over the past month. Last night they reached a pinnacle at Prime Minster Abe's press conference.

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