Afternoon trading Sep 8

Thanks Oscar and morning crew.


Half-time round-up:

The ASX looked set to finish near the foot of its recent trading range as the financial sector plumbed a three-month low and US equity futures turned negative.

The benchmark Australian index, the ASX 200, was off 22 points or 0.4% at 5667 at the halfway point of the session, testing a level that has provided solid support over the last three months. A mixed market saw gains in utilities +0.9%, IT +0.6% and gold +0.6% outweighed by declines in financials -0.9%, energy 0.8% and telecoms -0.5%. The financial sector tested support at a level last seen in early June.

US equity futures came under pressure from a sliding greenback amid overnight signs of European tightening and the looming economic threat from Hurricane Irma. Dow futures were recently down 33 points or 0.15%. Overnight, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi indicated the bank is ready to reduce (or taper) the bond-buying that helped steer the continent through the GFC and Greek debt crisis. The Australian dollar rallied to its highest level in more than two years, lately buying 80.95 US cents.

China's Shanghai Composite pushed 0.32% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng 0.54%, while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.38%.

Crude oil futures advanced 12 cents or 0.24% this morning to US$49.21 a barrel. Gold futures improved $6.70 or 0.5% to US$1,357 an ounce.


Slow morning. EPT provided the only real excitement where I fish. Took two attempts to nail a wage. On the plus side, had plenty of time to hone my fantasy footy tipping...