JCB find the YieldReport to be an invaluable summary of all debt market activity. Whilst we are focussed on the highest grade bonds it is important to see what is..Angus Coote, Executive Director, JCB Active Bond Fund
Stocks mostly rose after a previous day’s drop, buoyed by a positive revenue outlook from TSMC which helped semiconductor stocks recover, lifting the Nasdaq from its lowest point since 2022.
Unexpectedly high weekly jobless claims suggested a cooling job market, increasing speculation about potential interest rate cuts, with a 93% likelihood of a cut by September according to predictions.
The S&P 500 was down -0.78% to 5,544.59, the Dow Jones dropped by -1.29% to 40,665.02, and the Nasdaq also fell -0.70% to 17,871.22.
Market news also highlighted vulnerabilities in small-cap stocks and ongoing defaults in high-quality commercial real estate. In commodities, West Texas Intermediate crude fell to $82.57 a barrel, Brent crude to $82.12, and gold to $2,463.51 per ounce.
The 10-year Treasury yield ticked up slightly, and Bitcoin increased by 1.26% to $64,932.
LOCAL MARKET
The Australian stock market closed slightly lower, nearly touching a record high despite a major tech sector sell-off and mixed reactions to the latest job market data.
The S&P/ASX200 fell by 0.27% to 8,036.5 and the All Ordinaries dropped by 0.37% to 8,272.7.
Concerns grew about a potential interest rate hike by the Reserve Bank after ambiguous job figures showed strong employment growth but a slight increase in unemployment to 4.1%.
Tech stocks faced the largest decline, dropping 3.4% following global trends influenced by potential U.S. sanctions on China’s semiconductor industry.
Notably, Domino Pizza Enterprises plummeted by 8.2%, marking significant losses.
In contrast, Accent Group surged 10.2% after reporting improved sales, and Evolution Mining rose 2.8% following a record cash flow report.
Bank stocks showed mixed results, and the Australian dollar remained stable against the U.S. dollar.