Daytrading August 18 afternoon

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    Thanks Oscar and morning crew.


    Half-time round-up:

    Shares fell this morning amid scepticism about a reported fall in unemployment and as a sideways drift on global markets continued.

    At 1pm EST the ASX 200 was 26 points or 0.5% weaker at 5509, near the lower end of the index's trading range over the last two weeks. Upward momentum on the world's major share indexes has stuttered since the local index peaked at 5611 on August 2. The last two weeks have seen the XJO track sideways between 5500 and 5550 as the corporate reporting season unfolded.

    Pressure from weak results helped drag the health sector down 1.9% today, utilities 1.1% and financials 0.9%. The gold sector improved 3.1%, metals & mining 1.1% and consumer staples 0.5%.

    The market barely reacted to ABS figures alleging the economy created 26,200 new jobs last month as 71,600 fresh part-time positions outweighed a decline of 45,400 full-time jobs. The jobless rate ticked down to 5.7% from 5.8% in June.

    "Unemployment number seems to be like pin the tail on the donkey these days," tweeted market commentator Marcus Padley. "RBA cut looks a little unnecessary now."

    China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.12% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng put on 1.54%. Japan's Nikkei fell 0.19%. Dow futures were recently stronger by 22 points or 0.12%.

    Gold futures surged $10 or 0.74% this morning to US$1,358.80 an ounce. Crude oil futures were barely changed easing seven cents or 0.15% to US$46.72 a barrel.  The dollar was buying 77.09 US cents.


    So, um, hands up if you bought NWH yesterday and sold near the close at a loss? Just me, huh? Yeah, well, ouch. Today's second-best performer. Profits: who needs them? Pffft. Trading: took a couple of pips from ERL. Got in near the low in SHV but any profit has been as slow to come as the almonds they grow.
 
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