The ASX200 is set to open 0.38% higher today, echoing highs on Wall Street as the US market digested strong job figures and despite ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
On Friday, the S&P 500 increased by 0.9%, the Nasdaq rose 1.2%, while the Dow Jones set a new record, with a gain of 341 points.
According to the September jobs report, 254,000 jobs were added to the labour market – well above the expectation of 150,000, while unemployment fell to 4.1% from 4.2% in August.
On the ASX, Medallion Metals Ltd (ASX:MM8) has kicked off a 15,000 metre drilling program at its Ravensthorpe gold project in Western Australia, and Nyrada Inc (ASX:NYR) said an in vivo micronucleus study provided strong indicators for the safety of its drug candidate NYR-BI03 – which is being developed to treat brain injuries.
To commodities – all in US $ here: Iron ore is $108.84 on the Singapore Exchange, gold’s trading at $2652, Brent crude’s at $78.05 & natural gas is $2.85 a gigajoule.
One Aussie dollar is buying just under 68 US cents.