Australian shares are expected to open lower following a record-breaking week for U.S. stocks. ASX futures dropped 0.43% or 36 points as of 8:00 am on Monday, signaling a weaker start.
On Friday, major U.S. stock indexes closed higher, with the S&P 500 surpassing the 6,000 mark for the first time, despite losses among the six megacap tech giants—Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Alphabet—that collectively make up 30% of the index’s value.
The U.S. election boosted investor sentiment, with the Dow rising nearly 260 points Friday, marking a 4.6% weekly gain—its best in a year. The S&P 500 added 0.4% on Friday for a 4.7% weekly increase, while the Nasdaq edged up 0.1% on Friday, closing the week with a 5.7% gain.
In commodities, Brent crude oil declined 2.3% to US$73.87 per barrel, while gold fell 0.8% to US$2,684.77. The Australian dollar was trading at 65.82 US cents.