Once again similar update to
@debtfree . I still think it may close lower?
The ASX200 is expected to open higher on Thursday, with ASX200 futures up +52 points or +0.694% at 7,546. The index retreated -0.73% on Wednesday with financials, real estate, and information technology leading the decline, with the sectors falling -1.21%, -1.04%, and -1.31% respectively, while the Australian dollar strengthened +0.60%.
In what was a busy day for earnings on Wednesday, CBA fell 1.7% to $114 after announcing its cash profits fell 3 % in the first half of the financial year, while Seven Group rallied 7% to $38.91 following a guidance upgrade on its earnings.
In local economic data, investors will be focusing on the latest labour market data, with the report expected to show that the unemployment rate rose to 4.0% from the previous month's reading of 3.9%
, while 25k jobs were added over the month. Traders will also be keeping a close eye on consumer inflation expectations, hoping for an improvement on the previous month's reading of 4.5%.
Oil prices were lower on the back of US WTI crude inventories coming in above expectations of 3.350M at 12.018M, with WTI crude and Brent down -1.61% and -1.47% to US$76.62 and US$82.55 a barrel. Iron ore futures in Singapore rose +0.44% on Wednesday to US$129.09 and are up a further +0.28% this morning, while copper fell -0.27%. Gold was -0.13% lower at US$19,990 an oz with silver +0.99% higher, while Bitcoin rose +4.21% higher to finish at 51,651.43.