To The Moon

The Australian sharemarket notched its longest winning streak in eight months on Friday, with the ASX 200 closing higher as gains in banks and technology stocks outweighed profit-taking in miners.The S&P/ASX 200 Index added 0.5%, or 42.90 points, to 8903.90 - its highest level since late October. The benchmark rose across all five sessions to finish the week up 2.1%, marking its longest stretch of gains since an eight-session rally in May 2025.Technology led eight sectors higher after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing forecast revenue growth of close to 30% in 2026 – beating analyst estimates and easing concerns about weakness in AI-related demand. NextDC rose 3.5% to $13 and Life360 added 1.7% to $29.23.The major banks underpinned Friday’s advance, with Commonwealth Bank and ANZ both

The Australian sharemarket wavered at the open after US President Donald Trump signalled he may hold off on attacking Iran for now drove down the price of oil and precious metals following strong gains in the past week.The S&P/ASX 200 Index was down by 2.1 points to 8859.60 at 10.12am AEDT, with seven of the 11 index sectors in the red. For the week, the benchmark is on track to notch a gain of 1.1%.Crude oil dropped more than 4% overnight to $US63.60 per barrel after US President Donald Trump signalled he may hold off on attacking Iran for now after the country pledged not to execute protesters. Shares in Woodside fell 1%, Santos 1.4% and Ampol by 1.3%.Investors took stock after strong gains by BHP this week as shares fell 0.6%. It came as copper eased from an all-time-high that had b

The Australian sharemarket rose on Thursday as investors continued to rotate out of the banks into the mining stocks, pushing BHP up to a 52-week-high to take it ever closer to becoming the largest company on the bourse.The S&P/ASX 200 was up 41.4 points, or 0.5%, to 8861.70 , with seven of the 11 sectors stronger, led by materials and healthcare.BHP underpinned gains in materials as it jumped 2.6% to $49.37 after it a 52-week high of $49.75, sending its market capitalisation to just below $251 billion. The stock has already rallied about 8% this year as it taps into record prices for key metals, including copper, silver, platinum and gold, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, supply concerns, and the prospect of a weak US dollar.MLC Asset Management portfolio manager Anthony Golowenko

The Australian sharemarket opened higher on Thursday as investors continued to rotate into mining stocks as precious metals furthered gains against a backdrop of geopolitical and supply uncertainty.The S&P/ASX 200 Index was up by 46.7 points, or 0.5% to 8867.30 at 10.11am AEDT, with seven of the 11 sectors stronger.Materials were the strongest as BHP rallied more 2% and South32 3%, with copper remaining around record highs in a move that reflects the growing scarcity in metals markets. Rio Tinto firmed 1.4% and gold giant Northern Star 1.4%.Energy contributed to gains as Woodside lift 0.7% and Santos 0.8% as oil prices rose to the highest since October overnight before retreating slightly amid rising instability in Iran.The major banks were mixed following losses on Wednesday as Common

The Australian sharemarket finished marginally higher on Wednesday as broad gains led by the energy sector after oil hit a two-month high amid turmoil in Iran were offset by a sell-off in the major banks.The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 12.10 points, or 1% to 8820.60, with eight of the 11 sectors higher.The nation’s four largest banks weighed on the benchmark index, as investors rotated out of financials as JPMorgan delivered weaker profit and revenue than analysts expected. Commonwealth Bank fell 1.3% to $152.88 after being down by as much as 2%, National Australia Bank slid 1.1% to $41.91, Westpac 0.6% to $38.28 and ANZ 0.3% to $36.38.Square payments platform and Afterpay owner, Block fell 3.4% to $100.70, as the sector faced pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has pledged to cap

The Australian sharemarket opened higher on Wednesday, buoyed by global oil prices rising to a two-month high after US President Donald Trump escalated his stance on Iran, urging continued demonstrations against the regime.The S&P/ASX 200 index added 23.60 points, or 0.3% to 8832.10 at 10.12am AEDT, with seven of the 11 sectors up.Energy was the strongest as Brent rose more than 2% to trade around $US65.4 per barrel as Trump’s move to cancel all dialogue with the Iranian regime and told demonstrators “help was on its way” fuelled fears of American intervention.“The situation in Iran has set off a rally in oil prices, which is having a slight impact on global yields and general market risk appetite. The simmering unrest in the country is raising the possibility of revolution and seizing

The Australian sharemarket notched its strongest gain in three weeks on Tuesday, driven by miners as geopolitical tensions and supply concerns sparked a rally in key metals prices.The S&P/ASX 200 Index was 0.6%, or by 49.10 points, to 8808.50, with four of the 11 sectors stronger. It was the best day for the bourse since it rose by 1.1% on December 23.Materials underpinned gains as the sector rose by more than 2% as copper rose above $US13,000 on the London Metal Exchange, aided by a weaker US dollar and concerns about a shortage of supply outside the world’s largest economy.“Copper is ripping because disproportionate amounts of it remain in US warehouses following the Trump tariff pre-empting surge last year. This has left ex-US copper inventories thin, and means any sudden uptick in

The Australian sharemarket opened higher on Tuesday, buoyed by a rally in metal prices as geopolitical turmoil and reports of a probe into Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell sent gold towards a record high.The S&P/ASX 200 index was up 0.3%, or by 24.8 points to 8784.20 at 10.10am AEDT, with five of the 11 sectors stronger.Materials jumped by more than 1% with spot gold ripping toward $US4600, as traders digested reports of a US Department of Justice probe involving Powell. “As we’ve seen before, when confidence in central bank independence is questioned, bullion tends to thrive,” Moomoo Australia dealing manager Jimmy Tran said.This saw Evolution Mining rose 0.7%, Northern Star 0.8% and Newmont by 0.4%. Copper also neared a record high aided by a weaker dollar and supply concerns.

The Australian sharemarket has risen as intensifying protests in Iran and growing pressure on the US Federal Reserve drew safe haven demand.The S&P/ASX index gained 41.6 points, or 0.5%, to 8759.4, with nine of 11 sectors rising, led by consumer discretionary, which jumped 2.1%.Gold miners underpinned the ASX advance as the precious metal neared $US4600 an ounce, supported by expectations for continued US interest-rate cuts and elevated geopolitical tensions from Iran.“The key drivers that pushed prices higher last year remain in place and may intensify,” said Justin Lin, investment analyst at Global X ETFs Australia.Ramelius jumped 6.3% to $4.39, with Newmont up 5.8% to $166.6, Northern Star 2.9% to $25.43, and Regis Resources 2.7% to $7.75. Meanwhile, the broader materials sector was

The Australian sharemarket climbed at the open, buoyed by a strong session on Wall Street and a jump in the oil price as Iran continued to crackdown on protests sweeping across the country.The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 24.7 points, or 0.3%, to 8742.5 by 10:09am. Investors took their lead from Wall Street, with S&P 500 Index resetting a record after a benign US jobs report.On the ASX, energy stocks extended gains after Brent crude surged more than 5% on Thursday and Friday to over $US63 a barrel as the political unrest in Iran raised the possibility of supply disruptions in Iran.Woodside 1.6%, Santos 0.7% and Beach Energy 2.1%.The biggest gainer on the ASX was Light & Wonder, which soared 20% at the open of trading. Light & Wonder will pay Aristocrat $US127.5 million after sett