Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1 and morning crew. Half-time wrap: The...

Thanks @shovel40, @Fiji1 and morning crew.

Half-time wrap:

The share market rose to its highest in more than two weeks after US stocks hit records and the Bank of Canada launched what investors hope will be a run of rate cuts this year by central banks.

The ASX 200 rallied 55 points or 0.7% to 7823. All 11 sectors advanced, led by industrials, financials and healthcare. Standouts included Genesis Minerals, Coronado and Nanosonics.

Overnight, the Bank of Canada became the first major central bank to lower its benchmark rate. The European Central Bank meets tonight and is expected to follow suit.

Rates optimism helped lift the S&P 500 and Nasdaq to new heights. The S&P 500 climbed 1.18% after soft payrolls data bolstered expectations that inflation will slow, clearing the way for rate cuts before year-end.


Personal trading: The ups and downs of a trader: yesterday everything I did went right, today pretty much the reverse. Sheesh. Looking for any kind of bounce in PMT and COV.