ASX Market Open: Aussie stocks to open flat following a sluggish session in the US

ASX News Market Summary
13 Aug 2024 09:12 (AEST)

The ASX200 is set to open flat on Tuesday, reflecting the US stock market’s unenthusiastic performance overnight.

US stocks experienced a mixed session on Monday, following last week’s lows and then rebound. The S&P 500 closed muted, the Nasdaq rose 0.2% while the Dow Jones dropped 140 points. Investors are awaiting several important data releases this week – Consumer Price Index, Producer Price Index, retail sales and industrial production – which are hoped to clarify the state of the US economy.

Over on the ASX, and reporting season continues.

Building materials company James Hardie Industries Plc (ASX:JHX) said its adjusted EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) had risen 1% – to $236 million – in the first quarter of the 2025 Financial Year compared to the previous comparable period.

The company’s net sales for the period were $992 million – signifying a rise of 4% – while guidance for the full 2025 Financial Year was unchanged.

Meanwhile, biotech company CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) said its net profit after tax (NPAT) for the full year had jumped 20% to $2.64 billion, driven by demand for products from its immunoglobulins portfolio.

Within its CSL Behring segment in particular, immunoglobulin product sales were at $5,666 million – also up 20% – with this being consistent across all regions.

And Strike Energy Ltd (ASX:STX) has been awarded 85 MW of Certified Reserve Capacity within Western Australia’s electricity grid (the South West Interconnected System) for its South Erregulla peaking gas power station.

The provision – which is for the 2026 capacity year – was awarded by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) and will provide significant de-risking of the project as Strike progresses it towards a final investment decision.

Also in Australia, the market is anticipating the release of wage price index data for the June quarter, with expectations that it will rise 0.9%.

In forex, the AUD is buying nearly 66 US cents.

Iron ore is at $101.26 per tonne in Singapore and brent crude is at $81.93 per barrel. Gold is travelling at $2,472 per ounce and US natgas futures read $2.17 per gigajoule – all those prices in USD.


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