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Stock Markets
US futures tick lower; Cisco falls 7.3% post-earnings
United States stock futures were little changed on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) after the Dow Jones Industrial Average snapped a three-day winning streak in the previous session. By 10:55 am AEDT (11:55 pm GMT) Dow futures and S&P 500 futures were trading slightly below the flatline, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.2%. In extended trading, Cisco Systems fell 7.3% despite delivering quarterly results that beat expectations on both revenue and earnings. McDonald’s shares edged less than 1% lower after the fast-food chain reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of $3.12 per share on revenue of $7.01 billion. Markets had expected earnings of $3.05 per share on revenue of $6.84 billion. AppLovin declined 6.5% in after-hours trading even after the mobile technology company surpassed estimates. The group posted fourth-quarter earnings of $3.24 per share on revenue of $1.66 billion, ahead of forecasts for $2.95 per share on revenue of $1.61 billion. The overnight moves followed a subdued session on Wall Street. The Dow fell more than 66 points, or 0.1%, the S&P 500 finished marginally lower, while the Nasdaq Composite lost about 0.2%. Equities initially rallied earlier in the day after a stronger-than-expected jo
Stock Markets
US benchmarks muted as payrolls fail to lift sentiment
United States benchmark averages ended slightly lower on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT), with the Dow Jones Industrial Average snapping a three-day winning streak as a stronger-than-expected January jobs report failed to generate sustained buying momentum. The Dow fell 66.7 points or 0.1% to close at 50,121.4. The S&P 500 finished virtually unchanged at 6,941.5, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 36.0 points or 0.2% to finish at 23,066.5. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed nonfarm payrolls (NFP) rose by 130,000 in January, well above the 70,000 increase expected. The figure also represented a notable improvement from December, which was revised lower to 48,000. The unemployment rate came in at 4.3%, slightly below expectations of 4.4%. Although the headline reading marked the strongest pace of job creation in more than a year, hiring remained concentrated in a narrow group of industries. Health care-related sectors accounted for 124,000 of the total positions added, roughly double the typical monthly growth seen in 2025. Investors also remained mindful of persistent downward revisions to prior data. Every month in 2025 has been revised lower, and after incorporating annual benchmark adjustments and month
Stock Markets
US futures tick higher; delayed jobs data in focus
United States stock futures edged higher on Tuesday evening (Wednesday AEDT) as investors turned their attention to the release of the delayed January nonfarm payrolls report. By 10:50 am AEDT (11:50 pm GMT) Dow futures, S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.2% apiece. In extended trading, Robinhood fell about 8% after the trading platform reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.28 billion, below expectations of $1.35 billion. Earnings per share (EPS) were reported at $0.66 versus $0.63 expected. Ford Motor rose 0.6% in after-hours trade. The carmaker reported fourth-quarter automotive revenue of $42.4 billion, topping the LSEG consensus estimate of $41.83 billion. Nevertheless, Ford posted its widest quarterly earnings miss in four years, delivering adjusted EPS of $0.13 versus $0.19 anticipated. Mattel tanked 29.5% after issuing Fourth-quarter results that missed expectations on both revenue and profit. EPS came in at $0.39 versus $0.54 expected on revenue of $1.77 billion versus $1.84 billion expected. By contrast, Cloudflare surged 14.4% in extended trading after offering an upbeat outlook, and the company exceeded forecasts on both the top and bottom lines for the fourth quarter. Investors are now f
Stock Markets
US benchmarks close mixed; AI fears hit financials
Major United States benchmarks finished mixed on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) as investors digested softer-than-expected retail sales data and mounting concerns over the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the financial sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 52.3 points or 0.1% to close at 50,188.2, extending its recent advance and notiching a fresh record closing high. The S&P 500 fell 23.0 points or 0.3% to 6,941.8, while the Nasdaq Composite declined 136.2 points or 0.6% to 23,102.5. Retailers were among the session’s notable laggards. Shares of Costco dropped 2.6%, while Walmart lost 1.8%, after fresh data showed U.S. retail sales were flat in December. The reading fell short of expectations for a 0.4% monthly increase, and followed a 0.6% rise in November. Market participants are now focused on key economic releases later in the week, with the delayed U.S. nonfarm payrolls report due on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) and consumer price index data scheduled for Friday (Saturday AEDT). ANZ analysts noted: "U.S. labour market and CPI inflation data this week will test market expectations for an extended pause in the FOMC’s rate-cutting cycle. "We believe that a restart of the easing cycle in March is w
Stock Markets
US futures steady after Dow's record close
United States stock futures were little changed on Monday night (Tuesday AEDT) after the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a fresh all-time high during the regular session, with investors assessing corporate earnings and preparing for a week of key economic data. By 10:30 am AEDT (11:30 pm GMT) Dow futures, S&P 500 futures, and Nasdaq 100 futures were each trading within a range of ±0.1%. In extended deals, ON Semiconductor fell 5.1% after reporting fourth-quarter revenue of $1.53 billion, marginally below expectations of $1.54 billion. Earnings per share came in at $0.64, ahead of the $0.62 forecast. Upwork plunged 24.8% after the online freelance marketplace revealed that active clients totalled 785,000 at the end of 2025, down from 832,000 a year earlier, raising concerns about growth momentum. Chegg declined 6.7% after posting fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $12.9 million, compared with roughly $37 million in the same period a year ago. Revenue fell 49% year on year to $72.66 million, ahead of $71.03 million expected. The muted futures trading followed a second day of gains on Wall Street. The Dow rose 0.04%, marking new intraday and closing records. The S&P 500 advanced around 0.5%, while the Nasdaq Comp

Stock Markets
Markets: US closes in the green; Dow refreshes record
Major United States benchmark averages advanced on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), led by gains in technology stocks, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average touching a fresh record high as investors positioned ahead of key economic data and another round of corporate earnings. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 20.2 points or 0.04% to 50,135.9, posting a fresh intraday and closing record. The S&P 500 rose 32.5 points or 0.5% to 6,964.8, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 219.3 points or 1% to 23,249.8 as chipmakers and artificial intelligence-linked names extended recent gains. Nvidia and Broadcom were once again among the session’s standout performers, rising 2.5% and 3.3%, respectively, and building on strength from the previous trading day. Oracle surged 9% after D.A. Davidson upgraded the stock to “buy” from “neutral”, citing optimism surrounding OpenAI and the broader artificial intelligence ecosystem. The latest gains followed a volatile week that ended with a sharp rebound on Friday. The Dow surpassed the 50,000 mark for the first time, recovering from earlier losses triggered by a technology-led sell-off, particularly in software stocks. Among individual corporate movers, Hims & Hers Health tumbled 16% after Novo
Stock Markets
APAC climbs; Nikkei 225 hits record after Takaichi win
Asia-Pacific markets traded firmly higher on Monday, led by a surge in Japanese equities after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a decisive election victory that strengthens her government’s mandate. By 11:40 am AEDT (12:40 am GMT), Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 5% to reach a fresh record high, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 climbed 1.6% and South Korea’s KOSPI 200 advanced 4.4% Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party captured a two-thirds supermajority in the 465-seat lower house, according to public broadcaster NHK, marking a landmark result for Takaichi. The outcome grants the administration greater scope to implement policy initiatives without relying on coalition partners. United States President Donald Trump congratulated Takaichi in a post on Truth Social, writing: “She is a highly respected and very popular Leader. Sanae’s bold and wise decision to call for an Election paid off big time … The wonderful people of Japan, who voted with such enthusiasm, will always have my strong support.” Economic data from Japan, however, painted a more subdued picture. The Ministry of Finance reported a current account surplus of ¥728.8 billion in December, down 32% year-on-year and below expectations for a ¥1.060 trillion su
Stock Markets
US futures tick higher ahead of nonfarm payrolls, CPI
United States equity futures edged higher on Sunday evening (Monday AEDT) as investors looked ahead to key labour market and inflation reports, following a volatile week that culminated in the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above the 50,000 mark for the first time. By 10:45 am AEDT (11:45 pm GMT), Dow futures were up 0.2%, S&P 500 futures rose 0.3%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.4%. The modest advance follows a sharp rebound for major benchmarks on Friday, when major indices recovered from steep losses earlier in the week. The earlier sell-off had been driven primarily by weakness in the technology sector, particularly software stocks, while Bitcoin also tumbled as investors adopted a more cautious, risk-off stance. In Friday’s session, the 30-stock Dow surged 2.5% to record its first close above 50,000 after breaching the level in intraday trade. The S&P 500 climbed 2%, and the Nasdaq Composite added 2.2%. Bitcoin also recovered, breaking back above US$70,000 after falling below $61,000 late on Thursday. Market attention now turns to Wednesday’s delayed January nonfarm payrolls report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The release had originally been scheduled for last Friday but was postponed due t
Stock Markets
US benchmarks bounce 2%, Dow hits fresh record high
Major United States benchmark averages lifted on Friday, as technology stocks staged a sharp rebound following days of heavy selling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1,207.0 points or 2.5%, to finish at a fresh record highs of 50,115.7. The S&P 500 rose 133.9 points or 2% to 6,932.3, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 490.6 points or 2.2% to 23,031.2. Despite the strong session, weekly performance remained mixed. The Dow rallied 2.5% for the week, the S&P 500 edged down 0.1%, and the Nasdaq declined 1.8%. Technology heavyweights led Friday’s recovery. Nvidia jumped nearly 7.9%, and Broadcom gained 7.2%, rebounding after steep losses earlier in the week. Oracle and Palantir Technologies added 4.7% and 4.5%, respectively, as investors stepped back into previously battered names at lower valuations. However, some software stocks remained under pressure. ServiceNow, which has been at the centre of the recent artificial intelligence-driven sell-off in software, fell 1.8%, bringing weekly declines to 13.9%. Cryptocurrencies also stabilised. Bitcoin rose 12.4% on Friday to touch an intraday high of $71,707.85 after briefly falling below $61,000 overnight, marking its lowest level since October 2024. Friday’