| Name | Daily Close | Daily Change | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 39308.00 | -23.85 | -0.06% |
| S&P 500 | 5537.02 | 28.01 | 0.51% |
| Nasdaq | 18188.30 | 159.54 | 0.88% |
| VIX | 12.09 | 0.06 | 0.50% |
| Gold | 2365.50 | -3.70 | -0.16% |
| Oil | 83.66 | -0.22 | -0.26% |
US MARKET
In an abbreviated session ahead of Independence Day, major U.S. equity indexes closed mixed. The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, marking its second consecutive record close. The Nasdaq gained 0.9% to a new high, while the Dow dipped slightly due to losses in healthcare stocks like UnitedHealth.
Shares of Paramount Global surged 6.9%, leading the S&P 500, after news of a preliminary merger agreement with Skydance Media. First Solar also saw gains, up 6.6%, recovering from Tuesday’s losses.
Tesla shares continued their rise, climbing 6.5% following better-than-expected vehicle deliveries in Q2. Walgreens Boots Alliance fell 4.1% after a UBS downgrade extended last week’s losses post-earnings miss.
Constellation Brands ended 3.3% lower despite beating EPS estimates, as revenue fell short and wine and spirits sales dropped. Humana shares slipped 3.2% amid a class-action lawsuit alleging misleading investor information about the post-pandemic surge in medical procedures impacting earnings.
Treasuries rose, and the dollar fell after Fed minutes revealed officials waiting for clearer signs of cooling inflation. Economists see disinflation and a cooling labour market as positive signs for potential rate cuts.
The market’s mixed performance reflects cautious optimism, with gains in tech and clean energy sectors countered by pressures in healthcare and consumer staples.
LOCAL MARKET
Australian shares are set to open 0.9% higher on Thursday, buoyed by a continued bull market run in New York during a shortened trading session. US markets will be closed on Thursday for Independence Day.
Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc) are separately considering potential bids for Santos, as the Middle Eastern energy giants aim to expand their gas investments overseas, according to Bloomberg.
“Santos does not comment on market speculation,” a spokeswoman for the company stated on Thursday.
Both state-owned Aramco and Adnoc through conducting preliminary evaluations of Santos as a potential acquisition target, the sources said, are requesting anonymity due to the private nature of the information. Santos shares have risen about 1% in Sydney trading this year, giving the company a market value of $24.9 billion.