Market Update: Red flags dot ASX landscape as living costs squeeze

The ASX200 is down 1.1 per cent – on par with futures’ predictions – with every sector flashing red mid-session.

Meanwhile, the ABS has released international investment data and living cost indexes.

Australia’s International Investment Portfolio reflected a liability of $836.6 billion at 31 December 2023, which is a decline of $107.5 billion from the end of 2022. Foreign investment rose by $62.8B and Australian investment abroad by $170.3B.

Cost of living data revealed in the living cost index showed that employee households, whose primary source of income is salaries, saw living costs rise 1.7 per cent in the March 2024 quarter.

In company news

Woolworths Group (ASX:WOW) is up nearly .5 of a per cent on news it will rake in $468 million in a deal to sell a 5% stake in retail drinks network, Endeavour Group (ASX:EDV).

Endeavour operates BWS and Dan Murphy’s bottle shops within its portfolio of hospitality outlets.

Woolworths will retail 4.1% of Endeavour after the sale – and is promising to return capital to shareholders.

WOW has been trading at $32.05.

OncoSil Medical (ASX:OSL) released findings from a study which showed that the addition of its OncoSil medical device to systemic chemotherapy returned an increase in the vascularity of the primary pancreatic tumors, and at the same time: resulted in a significant decrease in the size of tumours.

OSL has been trading flat at 0.5 cents.

And Lithium Universe (ASX:LU7) has locked in $3.64 million to advance its North American lithium project in Canada.

The company has received binding subscription agreements which will be used to advance the Quebec Lithium Processing Hub (QLPH) strategy.

LU7 has been trading at 2.9 cents.