Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1 and morning crew.
Half-time wrap:
Aussie stocks started the week with solid gains after the US Federal Reserve committed to move carefully on interest rates, and China slashed stamp duty on equities to support its share market.
The ASX 200 firmed 45 points or 0.63% by mid-session. Consumer stocks, healthcare providers and utilities set the pace, supported by the big banks and most of the major miners. Fortescue Metals dragged, losing 4.23% after reporting a 23% decline in full-year profit and an unexpected change of CEO.
This morning's rally followed a positive end to the week in the US as investors welcomed signs of rates caution from the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 lifted 0.67% to break a run of three straight weekly declines.
Chinese shares soared after the Ministry of Finance halved stamp duty on trades and the securities regulator cut margin requirements for borrowing to buy shares. The Shanghai Composite soared 2.5%.
The speculative end of the Australian market remained under pressure. The Emerging Companies index sank almost 1% to a two-month low.Personal trading: Some days your trades glide serenely from Buy to Sell with barely a care in the world. Other days... Been a struggle this morning. Overpaid for OPT and bailed for brokerage. Did get something out of VRX. Got a few others on the go, although I use that phrase loosely. Not much go about them.
