| Name | Price | Change | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 46,067.58 | 587.98 | 1.29% |
| S&P 500 | 6,654.72 | 102.21 | 1.56% |
| Nasdaq | 22,694.61 | 490.18 | 2.21% |
| VIX | 19.03 | -2.63 | -12.14% |
| Gold | 4,133.00 | -0.1 | 0.00% |
| Oil | 59.65 | 0.16 | 0.27% |
OVERVIEW OF THE US MARKET
Wall Street rallied sharply on October 13, 2025, as easing trade tensions between the US and China, coupled with cooling Middle East conflicts, boosted investor confidence. The S&P 500 surged 1.6% in its best session since May, extending a bull market that marked its third anniversary over the weekend. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.2%, driven by a nearly 5% jump in chipmakers, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.3%. Broadcom soared about 10% after signing a multiyear deal with OpenAI for custom chips and networking equipment, underscoring continued enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. Other notable movers included Beyond Meat, which tumbled on a debt swap announcement, and Keurig Dr Pepper, which jumped on reports of a stake by Starboard Value.
The rebound followed Friday’s rout, with traders embracing a buy-the-dip strategy amid signals of ongoing US-China negotiations and President Trump’s Middle East visit to celebrate the Gaza ceasefire. Bull markets reaching their fourth year have historically averaged 12.8% gains, according to LPL Financial, supported by economic growth and the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting cycle. However, risks linger with earnings season kicking off Tuesday, including big banks, and potential volatility if AI spending or trade tensions disappoint.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed optimism that staff-level US-China talks would continue this week, potentially paving the way for a Trump-Xi meeting, though he noted the ball is in Beijing’s court after recent rare-earth curbs. With inflation under control despite tariffs, strategists at UBS and Ameriprise see pullbacks as buying opportunities, though RBC warns of a pause if third-quarter profits fade.
OVERVIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET
Australian shares slumped on October 13, 2025, amid renewed US-China trade tensions that heightened global growth concerns and pressured tech valuations. The S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.84% to close at 8,882.8, with the All Ordinaries shedding 0.87%. Ten of eleven sectors declined, led by information technology down 2% and health care off 1.2%, while real estate eked out a marginal 0.02% gain. Critical minerals and gold stocks provided some offset, with Toro Energy surging 38.5% on an acquisition announcement and Cobalt Blue Holdings up 36.4% amid sector strength.
The selloff followed China’s rare-earth export controls, seen as retaliation, prompting investors to reassess trade risks despite US signals of openness to deals. ANZ bucked the trend among big banks, rising 3.3% to a decade high on cost-cutting plans, while NAB and CBA fell over 1.8%. Treasury Wine Estates plunged 15% after scrapping guidance due to tough conditions. Gold miners like Northern Star (up 1.6%) benefited from spot gold hitting $4,078 an ounce on safe-haven flows.
With US-China posturing in focus, markets eye this week’s data for clues on resilience, including Australia’s employment figures Wednesday forecasting 20,000 job gains and a 4.3% unemployment rate, alongside composite leading index Tuesday.
