Marking Out the New Playing Field in Technology
Alphabet, Inc NASDAQ:GOOG (GOOG) shares were down around 7% overnight on a poorly received AI conference. Companies expected to benefit from the AI boom immediately were steady and higher, including NVIDIA Corp NASDAQ:NVDA (NVDA), up 0.1%. The winners and losers of this first wave in the boom in AI products and applications are being drawn…
A Resurgent Dollar
The US Dollar index (DXY) is up 1.3% in February. The DXY had fallen for four consecutive months before this improvement in February. Oil markets are down, providing a pathway to more growth in the technology sector. Hitherto weaker US Dollar Following the announcement of a slower rate-hike pathway by the US Federal Reserve, below…
The Market Is Itching to Get Going
Meta Platforms, Inc NASDAQ:META (META) is up 30% over the last fortnight. The NASDAQ composite is up 6% over the same period. Oil markets are down 10%, providing a pathway to more growth in the technology sector. The wrap on the week A blockbuster 2022 Q4 earnings beat by META caught the market by surprise and…
Inflation – Why worry?
Tuesday 7th February, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised borrowing and lending rates by a quarter of one per cent Overheating inflation raises the probability of larger rate hikes in the future The strength in exports is serving to defend the Aussie dollar from the steeper cost of imports From the US President Joe…
A Wobble in Tech
Microsoft Corp NASDAQ:MSFT (MSFT) reported earnings Tuesday MSFT reported the slowest quarterly sales growth in more than six years The slowdown in sales growth and the slimmer margins for MSFT relative to prior quarters are causing concern for international technology investors. The calendar year 2022 US earnings season is upon us, and the rationale behind…
Happy new year
Chinese large market capitalisation ETF, the iShares China Large-Cap ETF ASX:IZZ (IZZ), is up nearly 10% this year. Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd NYSE:BABA (BABA) has risen over 35% in 2023. Chinese stocks have quickly recovered the ground they lost during the zero-COVID policy and are reattracting foreign investment by taking advantage of a strong but…
Knives out
To start 2023, the finance sector follows the technology sector’s lead with layoffs. Goldman Sachs NYSE:GS (GS), Morgan Stanley NYSE:MS (MS), and others are following the lead of FAANG in laying off staff. Despite bumper revenues and profits, large US multinationals (MNCs) and the Federal Reserve are performing an unlikely delicate dance in directing the…
Stay the course
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) keeps interest rates steady. The currency markets react by sending the Yen lower against a basket of currencies. Japan and others are reaffirming their commitment to the Great Reopening and their inflation management strategies. How are the markets reacting? No going back The BOJ interest rate policy is unchanged in…
Best performing ASX stocks in 2023
The S&P / ASX 200 ASX:^AXJO (XJO) is up by 4.7% to start the year. The consumer discretionary, materials and real estate sectors lead the pack. To kick off 2023, defensive trades lag behind the more aggressive stock plays. What is driving this action, and what might create a drag on this theme going forward?…
US Dollar slide gains momentum
The US Dollar index is down 9% from early November and 1.5% to start the year. The steady decline in the US Dollar from the highs of September 2022 is generating an updraft to international securities. A return to a depreciating US Dollar eases the pressure on foreign US-denominated debt, tempers exported US inflation and…
