The ASX200 is set to open virtually flat (up 0.07%) on Thursday, echoing a cautious mood on Wall Street after a rates decision from the Federal Reserve and as trade tensions continue to shape investor sentiment.
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US stocks ended Wednesday’s session on a positive note after the Federal Reserve decided to keep rates on hold at the benchmark rate of 4.25%-4.5%, while the trading relationship between the US-China was also a focus for investors. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, while the Nasdaq 100 moved up 0.3%, and the Dow Jones increased by 297 points. Fed chair Jerome Powell suggested caution was the watchword when it came to the US economy, pointing out that risks to inflation and unemployment have risen.
On the ASX, ANZ (ASX:ANZ) said its cash profit for the half year ended 31 March had risen by 12% to $3.57 billion compared to the same period last year, Titan Minerals Ltd (ASX:TTM) has confirmed a large-scale porphyry system through drilling work at its Linderos copper-gold project in Chile, and James Bay Minerals Ltd (ASX:JBY) has increased its landholding at the Independence gold project in Nevada by 184%.
To commodities – all in US $ here: Iron ore is $98.25 on the Singapore Exchange, gold’s trading at $3369, Brent crude is $60.95 & natural gas is $3.61 a gigajoule.
One Aussie dollar is buying 64.3 US cents.
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