| Name | Daily Close | Daily Change | Daily Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow | 44,828.53 | 344.11 | 0.77% |
| S&P 500 | 6,279.35 | 51.93 | 0.83% |
| Nasdaq | 20,601.10 | 207.97 | 1.02% |
| VIX | 16.38 | -0.26 | -1.56% |
| Gold | 3,345.80 | 2.9 | 0.09% |
| Oil | 66.32 | -0.68 | -1.01% |
OVERVIEW OF THE US MARKET
The US market remained closed on Friday, July 4, 2025, in observance of Independence Day, with no trading activity reported. Investors are likely reflecting on recent gains amid ongoing trade talks and speculation about the Federal Reserve’s rate cut. Treasury yields and the dollar remained steady in pre-market indications, while oil prices dipped slightly due to concerns about seasonal demand.
With markets shuttered, attention turns to the holiday-shortened week ahead, where the absence of fresh US data until Tuesday may keep volatility low. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which closed at 6,279.35 and 20,601.10 respectively on Thursday, are poised near record highs, supported by tech resilience. Traders remain focused on Middle East ceasefire developments, with the Israel-Iran truce holding firm under Trump’s mediation, though risks persist if energy infrastructure is targeted.
Oil prices nudged lower to around $67 per barrel, reflecting a cautious outlook as the holiday weekend begins. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s recent cautious stance on rate cuts, contrasted by Vice Chair Michelle Bowman’s openness to a July move, continues to shape expectations. Money markets still price a 65% chance of a July cut, with the focus shifting to Tuesday’s reopened trading and upcoming economic data.
OVERVIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN MARKET
The S&P/ASX 200 eked out a modest 0.08% gain to 8,603.0 on Friday, marking its eighth record high of the year, while the All Ordinaries rose 0.09% to 8,841.9. Smaller indices also advanced, with the Small Ords up 0.10% to 3,264.1, All Tech gaining 0.28% to 4,055.5, and Emerging Companies climbing 0.47% to 2,332.0, reflecting broad-based support.
The session highlighted a mixed performance, with the ASX 200 Materials Index (-0.97%) pulling back after a 4.9% rally over the prior two sessions, slipping below its 200-day moving average—a key technical threshold reclaimed on Thursday. The decline was led by volatility in major miners, though breadth remained solid, with 122 S&P/ASX 200 constituents (61%) closing higher.VanEck’s Australian Equal-weight ETF outperformed the benchmark by 10 basis points.
Financials ticked up 0.14%, as gains in ANZ (+3.84% weekly), Westpac (-0.80% weekly), and NAB (-0.28% weekly) offset a sharp 1.0% drop in Commonwealth Bank, which fell 3.97% for the week to a two-week low—its worst weekly performance since early March. Retail and defensive sectors like Real Estate, Health Care, and Staples delivered solid gains, while riskier names like Zip (-0.9%) and Droneshield (-4.8%) traded choppily. Recent IPOs, Virgin (-2.6%) and Gemlife (-5.7%) have also struggled.