MARKETS

The Australian share market is continuing on its solid run, firmer by another one per cent at lunchtime during Thursday's trade.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 8 points, while the S&P was flat at 1652 and the Nasdaq rose 0.5%.Gee those Chinese data releases are a barrel of laughs at the moment aren't they? Talk about killing the mood at a party.

Local stocks ended higher on Wednesday, although the gains were modest compared to the improvements seen in early trade. Economic reports originating locally and elsewhere once again spoke to investor concerns about a slowing global growth pulse.

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) is expected to have a production shortfall of 2 million tonnes at its Pilbara iron ore operations when it releases its June quarter report next week. However, the mining giant is in a position to make up for the lost volume in the later part of 2013.

In yesterday's Daily Reckoning we showed you that food and beer are cheap in America and that sweet potato fries are worth a go. Today, we'll investigate more urgent matters. Falling US bond prices are the prime mover in markets right now. As bond prices fall, yields rise. The investment implications multiply.

The Australian share market is holding at one month highs in early trade on Wednesday, following gains on US and European markets overnight. US stocks managed to make it four wins in a row as investors were encouraged by the start of the earnings season. Aluminium giant Alcoa was first to report, with its earnings coming in in line with market expectations.

By Miguel Perez-Santalla, BullionVaultBACK in the good old days, a physical silver trader's dream would be to land a photographic company as a customer.

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportLast week I got to thinking about sensible investing when conditions are really 'iffy' and as I thought about it, I realised that in most short-term stock market situations there are always Rumsfeldian moments, which explain why there is a seller when ...

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 75 points, or 0.5%, while the S&P gained 0.7% to 1652 and the Nasdaq added 0.

The Australian share market managed to recover today, thanks to strong offshore gains and as investors chasing yield bought into the banks. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose 68.9pts or 1.4 per cent today to 4866.5pts.

Following on from a 0.6 per cent fall yesterday, the Australian market is being pushed higher by global market strength. Overnight, US stocks rose for the third straight session, while the major European markets improved by as much as 2 per cent thanks to solid data. On the economic front, Chinese inflation remains under control while Australian business confidence is sluggish.

Your editor returns to his Daily Reckoning post finding that nothing and everything has changed in the markets. Our last day in the office was Friday, June 14th. The S&P ASX/200 closed at 4791 on that day. As we fire up our lazy neurons today, the market is trading at 4810, down on the day but up over the last three weeks.

- Slim volumes reported- No changes to prices- US DOE adds more uncertainty- Macquarie sceptical about Japan restart bumpBy Andrew NelsonLast week was slow and quiet in the uranium market.

The worse has not yet come for the gold market. Commodities expert Jim Rogers warned that the price of the yellow metal could fall to $900 an ounce.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 88 points, or 0.6%, while the S&P gained 0.5% to 1640 and the Nasdaq added 0.

Better than expected employment numbers in the US at week's end and gains for US stocks failed to translate to gains for the local market on Monday. There was a fillip at the outset of trade with some modest gains, although the gains were short lived and the index spent most of the day in the red.

Today's market action is brought to you by - once again - central bankers. In what has apparently come as a shock to the market, overnight the European Central Bank (ECB) and The Bank of England (BOE) have come out and said they will keep rates on hold for a long time. Can you believe it?

Australian shares kicked off the week in the red, only to rise by around 0.3 per cent in early trade, trade flat at one point and then shoot lower by lunch. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is now down by 0.8 per cent, after a 1 per cent improvement recorded over the previous week.

By Tim Price, PFP Wealth"Investment based on genuine long-term expectation is so difficult today as to be scarcely practicable.

By Stephen Hogan, Senior Private Client Adviser, Equities/DerivativesAustralian MarketThe Australian market (XJO) closed down -32.

- Chinese PMIs weaker- Trend steady nevertheless- Asia still the growth driverBy Greg PeelIn last month's round of manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) data, China's result fell slightly to 50.

The Australian share market managed to finish a volatile week on a high, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) adding 1.1pct over the course of the week.

One of the more volatile weeks in recent memory is coming to a close and investors are helping push the market higher. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 0.9 per cent. The dollar value of shares changing hands is remaining a little light though, due to the closure of US markets last night (Independence Day holiday).

By Andrew NelsonBack in 2010, the traditional price gap of West Texas Intermediate crude over Brent Crude closed from around US$2 as Canadian oil started to arrive at the WTI Cushing storage facility.

By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, Editor FNArenaI joined Twitter. Not because I am curious what this celebrity has to say about her kids, or to read that another one is waiting for a connecting flight, impatiently.

By Greg PeelWall Street was closed last night for the Independence Day holiday.With President Morsi now deposed and the army in charge, tensions have eased in Egypt.

The Australian share market continued its volatile run today, rebounding from yesterday's losses to end the session higher by more than one per cent.

The Australian share market is back in the black in early trade on Thursday, following a volatile week where we have seen significant gains and losses.

The Australian Dollar is slightly weaker following comments by RBA Governor Stevens made in yesterday's Asian time zone.