The ASX200 fell 1.1% on Thursday heading into the Easter break, extending the recent trend of late-week weakness as investors de-risk amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
The ASX200 rallied strongly on Wednesday, surging more than 2% in a broad-based advance that saw ~14% of the index rise by 6%, or more. The move followed comments from President Trump suggesting the US military conflict could end within two to three weeks, boosting confidence around the global economic growth outlook.
The ASX200 endured another volatile session on Tuesday, ultimately finishing up 20 points after trading in a wide ~140-point range—swinging from a 50-point loss to a near 70-point gain at its peak. It’s the kind of price action that unsettles headline-driven investors, but the question remains: should it? We all know the reasons why financial markets are volatile, so let's focus on the numbers for March, as opposed to trying to second-guess President Trump's next move:
The ASX200 recovered almost two-thirds of Monday’s early losses to close down 0.65%, with underlying buying evident across much of the market, even as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices to near four-year highs. However, this strength was offset by pronounced weakness in the influential banking sector, with the “Big Four” subtracting more than 55 points from the index and driving the majority of the day’s decline.
Markets remain fascinating at present, though an undercurrent of nervousness and confusion is clearly building. President Trump had previously “jawboned” both oil and bond markets into holding relatively firm in anticipation of a resolution, but that influence now appears to be fading. Headlines that would have supported risk assets only weeks ago are increasingly being largely ignored.
The ASX 200 drifted on Thursday to close down 0.1%, not a verb we’ve used often in March, let's hope it's not the calm before the storm. Investors have embraced the initial efforts by the Trump Administration to engineer a deal with Iran to form a truce and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran isn’t yet playing ball as they continue to exchange missiles with Israel. The news crossing the wires couldn’t be more contradictory.
The ASX 200 rallied 155 points (+1.85%) on Wednesday, its strongest session in two months, driven by an improving tone in the Middle East conflict and a softer-than-expected CPI print. The Middle East remains the key driver, but better than feared economic data always helps.
The ASX200 managed to close up +0.2% on Tuesday, but it wasn’t pretty with the index ending the session more than 100 points below its early morning high. The issue was the credibility of President Trump's claims that talks are underway to end the conflict with Iran, where reports of such talks were called “Fake News.” The attacks continue, although Trump has postponed strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, citing “productive conversations” with Tehran.
The ASX200 ended a volatile session more than 100 points off its early morning low, down only 0.7%. Selling was fairly brutal on open, as was expected, but investors steadily bought the dip through the day, with over 40% of the main board managing to close positive.
Global equities finished lower on Friday, pressured by escalating Middle East tensions, surging oil prices, and a renewed shift higher in rate expectations. For the week, the ASX200 fell 2.2%, the S&P 500 lost 1.9%, and the UK FTSE 3.3%.
The ASX200 rallied strongly on Wednesday, surging more than 2% in a broad-based advance that saw ~14% of the index rise by 6%, or more. The move followed comments from President Trump suggesting the US military conflict could end within two to three weeks, boosting confidence around the global economic growth outlook.
The ASX200 endured another volatile session on Tuesday, ultimately finishing up 20 points after trading in a wide ~140-point range—swinging from a 50-point loss to a near 70-point gain at its peak. It’s the kind of price action that unsettles headline-driven investors, but the question remains: should it? We all know the reasons why financial markets are volatile, so let's focus on the numbers for March, as opposed to trying to second-guess President Trump's next move:
The ASX200 recovered almost two-thirds of Monday’s early losses to close down 0.65%, with underlying buying evident across much of the market, even as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices to near four-year highs. However, this strength was offset by pronounced weakness in the influential banking sector, with the “Big Four” subtracting more than 55 points from the index and driving the majority of the day’s decline.
Markets remain fascinating at present, though an undercurrent of nervousness and confusion is clearly building. President Trump had previously “jawboned” both oil and bond markets into holding relatively firm in anticipation of a resolution, but that influence now appears to be fading. Headlines that would have supported risk assets only weeks ago are increasingly being largely ignored.
The ASX 200 drifted on Thursday to close down 0.1%, not a verb we’ve used often in March, let's hope it's not the calm before the storm. Investors have embraced the initial efforts by the Trump Administration to engineer a deal with Iran to form a truce and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran isn’t yet playing ball as they continue to exchange missiles with Israel. The news crossing the wires couldn’t be more contradictory.
The ASX 200 rallied 155 points (+1.85%) on Wednesday, its strongest session in two months, driven by an improving tone in the Middle East conflict and a softer-than-expected CPI print. The Middle East remains the key driver, but better than feared economic data always helps.
The ASX200 managed to close up +0.2% on Tuesday, but it wasn’t pretty with the index ending the session more than 100 points below its early morning high. The issue was the credibility of President Trump's claims that talks are underway to end the conflict with Iran, where reports of such talks were called “Fake News.” The attacks continue, although Trump has postponed strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, citing “productive conversations” with Tehran.
The ASX200 ended a volatile session more than 100 points off its early morning low, down only 0.7%. Selling was fairly brutal on open, as was expected, but investors steadily bought the dip through the day, with over 40% of the main board managing to close positive.
Global equities finished lower on Friday, pressured by escalating Middle East tensions, surging oil prices, and a renewed shift higher in rate expectations. For the week, the ASX200 fell 2.2%, the S&P 500 lost 1.9%, and the UK FTSE 3.3%.
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