logo
S&P 500, Nasdaq strong; Deckers soars on UGG demand

S&P 500, Nasdaq strong; Deckers soars on UGG demand

Perth Now11 hours ago
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched record high closes, lifted by optimism that the US could soon reach a trade deal with the European Union, while Deckers Outdoor surged following a strong quarter for the maker of UGG boots and Hoka sneakers.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet US President Donald Trump on Sunday in Scotland after EU officials and diplomats said they expected to reach a framework trade deal this weekend.
Trump said earlier that the odds of a US-EU trade deal were "50-50".
Deckers Outdoor soared 11 per cent after results beat quarterly estimates, with strong demand in international markets.
Intel tumbled 8.5 per cent after the chipmaker forecast steeper quarterly losses than expected and announced plans to slash jobs.
Wall Street has surged to record highs in recent weeks, thanks to upbeat quarterly earnings, trade deals with Japan and the Philippines, and expectations that the White House will cement more agreements to avoid elevated tariffs threatened by Trump.
"The market has been anticipating that the deals are going to get done," said Thomas Martin, Senior Portfolio Manager at GLOBALT in Atlanta.
"Personally, I have a bit more scepticism. You've got to be careful, because if they don't get done, there is more room for disappointment than there is upside."
The S&P 500 climbed 0.40 per cent to end the session at 6,388.64 points.
The Nasdaq gained 0.24 per cent to 21,108.32 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.47 per cent to 44,901.92 points.
Nine of the 11 S&P 500 sector indexes rose, led by materials, up 1.17 per cent, followed by a 0.98 per cent gain in industrials.
For the week, the S&P 500 climbed 1.5 per cent, the Nasdaq added 1.0 per cent and the Dow rose 1.3 per cent.
The S&P 500 set a closing record every day this week. The last time the index had a "perfect week" of closing highs, Monday through Friday, was in November 2021, according to Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.
Investors next week will focus on the US Federal Reserve, with policymakers on Thursday expected to hold interest rates steady as the central bank weighs the impact of tariffs on inflation.
Traders see about a 60 per cent chance of a rate cut in September, according to CME's FedWatch tool.
Trump said on Friday he believed that Fed Chair Jerome Powell might be ready to lower rates.
Trump made a rare visit to the Fed on Thursday after calling Powell a "numbskull" earlier in the week for failing to slash rates.
Charter Communications slumped 18 per cent after the cable giant reported a deeper-than-expected broadband subscriber loss, hurt by competition from wireless carriers bundling high-speed internet services with 5G mobile plans.
Paramount Global dipped 1.6 per cent after US regulators approved its $US8.4-billion ($A12.8 billion) merger with Skydance Media.
Health insurer Centene rose 6.1 per cent after it said it expects to deliver improved profitability in its three government-backed healthcare insurance businesses in 2026.
S&P 500 companies are expected on average to increase their second-quarter earnings by 7.7 per cent year over year, according to LSEG I/B/E/S, with most of those gains coming from heavyweight tech-related companies.
Companies reporting next week include Microsoft , Apple, Amazon and Meta Platforms .
Advancing issues outnumbered falling ones within the S&P 500 by a two-to-one ratio.
The S&P 500 posted 45 new highs and 6 new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 68 new highs and 54 new lows.
Volume on US exchanges was relatively light, with 17.7 billion shares traded, compared to an average of 18.1 billion shares over the previous 20 sessions.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

ASX jumps on the latest Trump deal
ASX jumps on the latest Trump deal

Perth Now

time17 minutes ago

  • Perth Now

ASX jumps on the latest Trump deal

Australia's sharemarket snapped a brief two day losing streak on Monday after US President Donald Trump announced his latest trade deal and the major banks bounced back from their recent falls. The benchmark ASX 200 index closed up 30.8 points or 0.36 per cent at 8697.7 after hitting an intraday high of 8704.9, while the broader All Ordinaries finished in the green up 29.20 points or 0.33 per cent to 8,963.50. The Australian dollar slipped from a nine-month high on Friday buying 65.51 US cents at the time of writing. On an overall positive day, eight of the 11 sectors finished in the green, led by the telecommunications sector, the big four banks and healthcare stocks. The ASX had a good day after Donald Trump announced a trade deal with the EU. Gaye Gerard / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia Shares in Telstra gained 0.81 per cent to $4.95, REA Group jumped 1.34 per cent to $236.09 and CAR group added 1.72 per cent to $37.89. Market heavyweight CBA gained 1.17 per cent to $174.90 offsetting half the falls in recent days, while NAB gained 0.67 per cent to $37.76, Westpac added 0.54 per cent to $33.21 and ANZ group closed 0.30 per cent higher at $30.31. Healthcare darling CSL gained 1 per cent to $270.59, Sigma Healthcare added 1.41 per cent to $2.88 and ResMed finished 0.97 per cent higher to $41.70. The markets jumped after US President Donald Trump announced a deal with the EU to end four months of negotiations between the two economic powerhouses. Following the discussions, the EU will face a 15 per cent tariff from the US, which is down from the 25 per cent the President announced in April. European Commission chief Ursula von de Leyen described it as 'a big deal, a huge deal, bringing: stability and predictability' to the two trading partners. IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said global markets around the world jumped on these trade deals. 'In terms of the trade deals with Japan and Europe, the tariff rate that will be implemented came in lower than initially threatened and the market is looking very positively on it,' Mr Sycamore said. Uranium shares were one of the rare misses during Monday's trading, dragged down by news out of Boss Energy which flagged challenges out of its Honeymoon uranium project. Boss Energy shares plummeted 43.97 per cent to $1.90, Deep Yellow fell 8.34 per cent to $1.65 and Paladin Energy dropped 4.43 per cent to $6.91. 'That is the uranium sector in a nutshell,' he said. 'It is one where you have to be prepared for extraordinary volatility. 'This was a disappointing performance day and a disappointing report by Boss Energy.' In company news, Helloworld Travel shares soared 14.14 per cent to $1.69 after the business upgraded its guidance to somewhere between $58-$62m. Stealth Group's shares also soared 11.02 per cent to $0.70 after announcing a 50 per cent jump in pre-orders on the back of the soon to be released iPhone 17. Bubs Australia shares jumped 2.94 per cent to $0.18 after the infant formula maker announced Joe Cootes as its new chief executive, effective immediately.

Petrol power is enjoying a resurgence at General Motors
Petrol power is enjoying a resurgence at General Motors

7NEWS

timean hour ago

  • 7NEWS

Petrol power is enjoying a resurgence at General Motors

General Motors was increasingly going down the path of having V8-powered full-size pickups and SUVs, but using electric power for almost everything else. Its Buick and Cadillac brands, for example, had goals of going electric-only by 2030, while myriad combustion-powered models were being phased out. However, GM Authority reports the American giant is now putting new combustion-powered vehicles into development. It's also reportedly evaluating new variants of existing combustion-powered vehicles – something that could see it introduce, for example, performance-focused pickups to take on Ford's Raptor models. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. ABOVE: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 It's unclear what new combustion-powered models GM may develop, though it currently doesn't have a unibody (car-based) ute to rival the Ford Maverick and no longer has a pony car to rival the Ford Mustang (following the axing of the Chevrolet Camaro). It also doesn't have a body-on-frame off-roader smaller than its Chevrolet Tahoe/ GMC Yukon to take on the Toyota 4Runner and LandCruiser 250 Series (sold as the Prado here), apart from the ageing Chevrolet Trailblazer in Latin America. The change in strategy comes as fuel prices remain low in the US, while emissions regulations have been softened under the Trump administration. Of course, GM still has a bevy of electric vehicles (EVs) and is crowing about its Chevrolet brand being the second biggest seller of EVs in the US market. But GM had been more aggressive than many brands in phasing out combustion-powered vehicles in favour of EVs. ABOVE: American Cadillac XT5 and (new) Chinese XT5 For example, the Chevrolet Blazer and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6 crossover SUVs were all being phased out in favour of electric replacements – the Blazer EV, Optiq, Lyriq and Vistiq, respectively. Likewise, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 sedans were expected to be replaced by one or two electric sedans, while the Chevrolet Malibu sedan has been axed outright. While none of these combustion-powered vehicles top the sales charts in their respective segments, many have been strong sellers at one point or another in their run. However, in June, GM announced it would add production of the combustion-powered Blazer to its Spring Hill, Tennessee plant in 2027 – a somewhat odd move, given the now six-year-old vehicle was set to be phased out. ABOVE: Chevrolet Blazer and Blazer EV Now, GM Authority reports it'll be a next-generation Blazer being manufactured in Spring Hill. Whether this means the new second-generation XT5 sold in China – previously slated to be a Chinese-market exclusive vehicle – will be offered in the US remains to be seen. It's not just the new XT5 that's exclusive to China. GM has developed a handful of new-generation combustion-powered vehicles for China that it hasn't offered in its home market. That includes the Cadillac GT4 and second-generation CT6. However, GM has struggled in China of late as resurgent domestic brands offering increasingly sophisticated products have eaten away both at its market share and that of many other foreign brands. It's now losing money there, despite the Chinese market once being a cash cow. ABOVE: Cadillac Lyriq With GM having reduced its global footprint through the sale of Opel/Vauxhall and a large-scale (if not complete) withdrawal from right-hand drive production that spelled the end of Holden, among other strategic moves, its home market has now become even more important. And despite EV sales continuing to grow in the US, the world's second-largest new-car market, there's still healthy demand for combustion-powered vehicles. GM has been pulling back somewhat from its previous bold EV goals. For example, it confirmed this year its Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan that was earmarked for EV production will now produce combustion-powered vehicles, while it will also introduce plug-in hybrids – technology it was previously planning to skip over. However, it's investing in new battery developments

Aussie dollar climbs to 9-month high
Aussie dollar climbs to 9-month high

Perth Now

timean hour ago

  • Perth Now

Aussie dollar climbs to 9-month high

The Australian dollar rose to a yearly high on Friday and could break through a key barrier on a US-China trade deal or higher than expected inflation. Australia's dollar jumped to a nine month high of 66.24 US cents on Friday, before slipping to 65.63 cents during Monday's trading. But in its latest trading note, the Commonwealth Bank says the Australian dollar surge could continue this week, as the US continues to announce trading deals following a temporary pause in its tariffs. 'AUD/USD will likely extend its gains this week if US trade developments are perceived to be positive and risk sentiment improves and more trade deals can be announced ahead of the 1 August deadline,' CBA wrote. The Aussie dollar has bit a new high for the year as Donald Trump announces new trade deals. NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar Credit: NewsWire The big four bank estimates the global effective tariff rate will stand around 20 per cent from August 1. 'The US may announce more trade deals this week ahead of the 1 August deadline and/or an extension to the US-China trade truce, supporting risk sentiment,' CBA wrote. IG market analyst Tony Sycamore highlights positive headlines out of the US that could help the Australian dollar. 'Whether the AUD/USD can extend those gains will likely depend on fresh tariff headlines, and inflation and jobs data in the US,' he said. The US and China will meet in Stockholm on Monday, aimed at tackling longstanding economic disputes between the two countries. The meeting in Sweden, led by US treasury secretary Scott Bessent and China vice premier He Lifeng, comes after the previous 90 day pause on tariffs in June. In June both countries announced more than 100 per cent tariffs on each other in a tit-for-tat escalation between world's two largest economies. This truce will end on August 12, and a failure to reach an agreement will send global supply chains into turmoil as both countries face tariffs of more than 100 per cent. RBA governor Michele Bullock explained why the central bank held rates in July. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Domestically a higher than expected inflation number could also see the Australian dollar jump. On Wednesday the Australian Bureau of Statistics will announce the CPI reading for the second quarter of this year, with any rise above 0.6 per cent for the quarter putting future rate cuts in doubt. The March quarter inflation figure was 2.4 per cent. NED-9108-Monthly-Inflation-Indicator AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said a lot of future rate cuts will come down to the CPI print. 'If the CPI is in line or just a little bit higher than the RBA forecast of 2.6 per cent rise in the trimmed mean for the year until June 30 then I think we will get a rate cut,' he said. 'But if it is 2.9 or even 2.8 then the RBA board might think lets wait a little longer.' Mr Sycamore told NewsWire the Aussie dollar won't run until later in the week, on the back of CPI data in Australia and jobs data out of the US on Friday. 'If there is a 4.3 per cent print, it gives the Aussie dollar the green light to push towards the mid 66s,' he said. At the July RBA monetary board meeting, the central bank shocked markets by holding the official cash rate at 3.85 per cent on the back of monthly inflation and jobs figures being stronger than expected. At the time governor Michele Bullock said the central bank could wait for the June quarterly figures to be released. 'Recent monthly CPI indicator data – which can be volatile and does not cover all items in the CPI – were broadly consistent with this expectation,' the RBA board said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store