US equity markets extended their recent rally amid signs of some thawing of tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict - Dow up +338-points or +0.97% . UnitedHealth Group Inc (down -0.48%) confirmed that its Optum Health unit would buy post-acute healthcare services company LHC Group LHCG in a deal that values LHC Group (up +5.93%) at more than >US$5.5B (US$170 per share). The broader S&P500 rose +1.23% to 4,631.60, exiting official correction territory after moving above 4,587.77 as the index rose for a fourth straight day. Based on data going back to 1928, the S&P 500 has seen a median gain of 11.5% a year after exiting correction, and average gain of nearly 14% - rising nearly 77% of the time. Median and average returns for shorter term time frames were also positive, according to Dow Jones Market Data. Real Estate (up +2.85%) and Information Technology (+2.06%) climbed over >2% to lead then of the eleven primary sectors higher. Energy (down -0.44%) was the only primary sector to close in the red. FedEx Corp rose % after the company announced that founder Fred Smith would step down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on 1 June and be replaced internally. Tesla Inc added +0.71% after Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating on the electric vehicle maker. Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a client note that Tesla may spend a combined $200 billion to $250 billion on capital expenditures and research and development through 2030, or roughly the entire market value of Toyota Motor , the No. 2 automaker in market value behind Tesla. The call came after CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he was “Working on master plan part 3.” Moderna Inc rose +4.37% after U.S. regulators approved an additional COVID vaccine booster shot for people age 50 and over. The technology-centric Nasdaq gained +1.84%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 climbed +2.65%.

US equity markets reversed earlier session losses to settle higher, with technology stocks leading the rebound - Dow up +95-points or +0.27%, recovering from an earlier decline of over >300-points. The broader S&P500 rose +0.71% to 4,575.52, falling short of the 4,587.77 level needed to mark an exit from official correction territory. Consumer Discretionary climbed +2.67% to lead eight of the eleven primary sectors higher. Energy (down -2.56%) was the worst performing primary sector overnight as crude prices retreated, with Chevron Corp down -1.75% and Exxon Mobil Corp -2.81% Tesla Inc rallied +% after the electric vehicle giant disclosed plans to enable a stock split, which would be the second in two years. The Nasdaq rallied +1.31% to 14,354.90, the highest settlement for the technology-centric index since 9 February. Apple Inc rose +0.50% to log its longest winning streak in more than a decade, climbing for ten consecutive sessions. The latest modest rise came despite a report from the Nikkei Asian Review saying that the company intends to lower production orders for its new iPhone SE by roughly 2M to 3M devices for the June quarter. The U.S. tech giant also reduced orders for its AirPods earphones by more than >10M units for all of 2022, as the company predicted lukewarm demand and wanted to reduce the level of inventories. Apple also asked suppliers to make a couple of million fewer units of the entire iPhone 13 range than previously planned, but said this adjustment was based on seasonal demand. Netflix Inc rose +1.25% despite executives predicting that growth would suffer much more than expected at the beginning of 2022. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 settled flat.

US equity markets ended another positive week on a mixed note - Dow up +153-points or +0.44%, with Goldman Sachs Group Inc (up +1.26%) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (+1.23%) among the notable performers and Treasury yields continued to climb. The broader S&P500 added +0.51%. The Energy sector (up +2.28%) climbed over >2% to lead nine of he eleven primary sectors higher on Friday (25 March). Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary both dipped -0.09% to be the only primary sectors not to advance. Tesla Inc (down -0.32%) is planning to suspend production at its Shanghai factory for at least one day, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday (27 March), as China’s financial hub said it would go into a lockdown in two stages to conduct COVID-19 testing. The technology centric Nasdaq eased -0.16%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +0.12%. JD.com Inc fell -2.60% after the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board said it was premature to say it was close to an agreement with China on allowing audit inspections of U.S.-listed Chinese companies. Alibaba Group Holding slid -1.9% following an ~6% in Hong Kong.

US equity markets advanced, settling near session highs as world leaders met to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and investors continued to monitor remarks by Federal Reserve officials - Dow up +349-points or +1.02% . The broader S&P500 +1.43%, with Information Technology (up +2.71%) leading all eleven primary sectors higher. Tesla Inc (up +1.48% to US$1,013.92) extended its rally into an eighth consecutive session to be up ~32% over that period and logging its highest close since 18 January. The technology-centric Nasdaq rallied +1.93%, with chipmakers among the leading performers. Nvidia Corp jumped +9.82%, Intel Corp +6.94%, and Advanced Micro Devices Inc +5.80%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 gained +1.13%. Uber Technologies Inc rose +4.96% after The Wall Street Journal reported that the company has struck a deal to list all New York City taxis on its app.

US equity markets retreated and settled near their session lows as investors weighed the latest spike in oil prices and hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials - Dow down -449-points or -1.29% . The broader S&P500 -1.23%, with Financials (down -1.84%), Health Care (+1.77%) and Information Technology (-1.5%) fell 1.5%+ to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy (up +1.74%) was the leading primary sector overnight. The Nasdaq -1.32%. Adobe Inc fell -9.34% after the software firm reported better-than-expected revenue and earnings per share (EPS) after the closing bell of the previous session but provided an outlook for the current quarter that fell shy of Wall Street estimates. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 shed -1.73%.

US equity markets rebounded following a volatile session on Monday (21 March) - Dow up +254-points or +0.74% . Goldman Sachs Group Inc rose +1.18% and JP Morgan Chase & Co +2.13% The broader S&P500 +1.13%, with Consumer Discretionary (up +2.45%) and Communication Services (+2.01%) both rising over >2% to lead ten of the eleven primary sectors higher. Energy (down -0.66%) was the only primary sector not to advance. Tesla Inc rose +7.% pushing its market capitalisation back above >US$1trillion for the first time since January after the electric carmaker opened a plant in Grünheide, Germany. The Nasdaq +1.96%. Big tech names Alphabet Inc (up +2.78%), Meta Platforms Inc (+2.44%) and Amazon.com Inc (+2.10%) all gained more than >2%. Nvidia Corp (down The small capitalisation Russell 2000 %. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s American Depository Receipts (ADRs) rallied +11% after the Chinese e-Commerce company announced late Monday (21 March) that it was boosting the size of its share-buyback program, authorising repurchases of as much as US$25B in shares, up from US$15B.

US equity markets retreated and bond markets saw aggressive selling after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell underlined the need to quicken the pace of monetary policy tightening, adding that upward pressure on prices from the invasion of Ukraine comes at a time of “already too high inflation” - Dow lost -202-points or -0.58%, paring an earlier decline of as much as -413-points but snapping a five session winning streak. Boeing Co fell -3.59% after a China Eastern Airlines passenger jet, with 132 people on board crashed in the mountains of southern China. The plane was a 737-800, not the 737 Max, which has yet to resume commercial flying in China, according to The Wall Street Journal. The broader S&P500 dipped -0.04%, unwinding an earlier advance of as much as +0.4% despite a +3.79% gain for the Energy sector. The Nasdaq eased -0.40%. Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc lost -2.31%. Apple Inc rose +0.85% despite several of its properties, including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, the iTunes store and Podcasts, suffering from an outage, disrupting access for users and businesses. Apple said the problems ranged from slow or unavailable service to intermittent issues with various services, its system status page showed. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -0.97%.

US equity markets advanced to lift the benchmark indices to their best weekly performance since the week ended 6 November 2020, according to Dow Jones Market Data - Dow climbed for a fifth straight session, settling +274-points or +0.80% higher. Salesforce.com Inc and Apple Inc were among the top gainers in the Dow, rising +3.99% and +2.09% respectively The broader S&P500 gained +1.17%. Information Technology (up +2.19%) and Consumer Discretionary (+2.18%) both gained over >2% to lead ten of the eleven primary sectors higher. Utilities (down –0.90%) was the only primary sector to settle in the red on Friday (18 March). General Motors Co rose +0.4% in extended trading on Friday (18 March) after announcing that it was buying Softbank Vision Fund's stake in its autonomous-driving unit Cruise for US$2.1B, lifting its stake to ~80%. GM will also make an additional US$1.35B investment in Cruise in place of SoftBank, it said. The technology centric Nasdaq rallied +2.05%. Nvidia Corp rallied +6.8% and Meta Platforms Inc +4.16% The small capitalisation Russell 2000 added +1.02%. Friday’s (18 March) marked Quadruple Witching, the simultaneous expiration of stock index futures, stock index options, stock options and single-stock futures.

US equity markets continued to build on a strong rebound as investors digested the latest news out of Ukraine and the outcome of the latest Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting - Dow gained +418-points or +1.23% and is on pace to log its first positive week in the past six. American Express Corp (up +3.52%) was among the leading performers following their Investor Day on Wednesday (16 March), with Bank of America reiterating their ‘buy’ recommendation on the stock. The broader S&P500 advanced +1.23%, with Energy (up +3.48%) returning to the top of the leaderboard and leading all eleven primary sectors higher. Occidental Petroleum jumped +9.47% as Warren Buffet’s investment group, Berkshire Hathaway, filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) indicating it owed 136.37M shares of the oil major as of 16 March, following purchases of around US$985M of stock between 14 March and 16 March at an average price of around US$54.41 per share. The Nasdaq rose +1.33%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 gained +1.69%. Tonight’s AEST session for US equity markets is Quadruple Witching, when stock index futures, stock index options, stock options and single-stock futures expire simultaneously.

US equity markets logged strong gains after a volatile session that saw the Federal Reserve raise interest rates as expected accompanied by an aggressive policy outlook to combat inflation - Dow gained +519-points or +1.55% after initially declining in the wake of the release of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy statement. The index swung nearly 700-points from its session lows. JPMorgan Chase & Co +4.47% Boeing Co (up +5.06%), Intel Corp (+4.06%), Nike Inc (+4.85%), and Salesforce.com Inc (+4.81%) were among other notable index performers. American Express Co gained +2.60% after the company hosted an Investor Day and reiterated its long-term goals for annualised revenue growth of more than >10% in 2024 and beyond, as well as earnings-per-share (EPS) growth in the mid-teens range over the same stretch. The broader S&P500 jumped +2.24%, recording its biggest two-day increase since April 2020. The Nasdaq surged +3.77% to log its best daily percentage gain since 4 November, 2020 and mark a +6.7% rally for the technology-centric index over the past two sessions The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rallied +3.14%.

US equity markets advanced as oil prices retreated below US$100/barrel for the first time since 1 March, while the latest reading of wholesale inflation printed lighter than expectations - Dow rallied +599-points or +1.82% . The broader S&P500 gained +2.14%, snapping a three day losing streak. Information Technology (up +3.49%) and Consumer Discretionary (+3.39%) both climbed over >3% to lead ten of the eleven primary sectors. Energy (down -3.72%) sat at the foot of the primary of the primary sector leaderboard for a second consecutive session, with Chevron Corp down -5.06% and Exxon Mobil Corp -5.69%. Delta Air Lines Inc (up +8.70%) and Southwest Airlines Co (+4.89%) both raised their first-quarter revenue outlooks overnight, while United Airlines Holdings Inc (+9.19%) said it expects first-quarter total operating revenue to be nearer the top end of previous guidance. The technology-centric Nasdaq rebounded +2.92%, also snapping a three session losing streak and more than recouping the previous session’s -2.06% decline. Microsoft Corp and Netflix Inc each rose +3.8% after some Wall Street analysts reiterated their overweight ratings. Chipmakers also rebounded strongly, with Advanced Micro Devices Inc up +6.92% and Nvidia Corp +7.70%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rose +1.4%.

US equity markets weaker as investors continued to monitor Russia-Ukraine updates and China’s latest COVID-related lockdown ahead of the Federal Reserve’s latest monetary policy decision on Thursday morning AEST (17 March) - Dow settled unchanged , relinquishing an earlier rally of as much as +450-points. Apple Inc fell -2.66% after its supplier and biggest assembler of iPhones Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, known as Foxconn Technology Group, suspended operations in China's Shenzhen amid rising COVID-19 cases. There were separate reports that Foxconn is in talks with Saudi Arabia about jointly building a US$9B multipurpose facility that could make microchips, electric-vehicle components and other electronics like displays, according to people familiar with the matter. Taiwan-based Foxconn is also reportedly talking with the United Arab Emirates about potentially siting the project there. Intel Corp and Salesforce.Com Inc fell -3.12% and -2.4% respectively. However, American Express Co and Visa Inc were among the Dow’s top gainers, adding +2.9% and +1.8% respectively. The broader S&P500 fell -0.74%, with Energy (down -2.89%) and Information Technology (-1.90%) leading seven of the eleven primary sectors lower. Financials (up +1.25%) was the best performing primary sector overnight. The S&P 500 booked its first death cross - where the 50-day moving average crosses below the 200-day moving average - since March of 2020. The technology-centric Nasdaq dropped -2.06%, with chipmakers under particular pressure. Qualcomm Inc fell -7.25% and Nvidia Corp -3.48%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 declined -1.92%. The U.S.-listed shares of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd sank -10.3% as the China-based e-commerce giant continues to suffer from a broad selloff in China’s stock market amid the threat of delisting of shares of China-based companies in the U.S. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell -4.97% yesterday (14 March), while mainland Chinese stocks were also weaker (Shanghai Stock Exchange down -2.60%, with the Shenzhen Component Index shed -3.08%)

US equity markets retreated on Friday (11 March), with the losses accelerating into the close and all three major benchmarks booking another week of losses, after President Joe Biden called for a suspension of normal trade relations with Russia as part of sanctions designed to economically isolate Moscow for its unprovoked attack in Ukraine - Dow fell -265-points or -0.69%, relinquishing modest opening gains. Nike Inc (down -2.70%) and Apple Inc (-2.39%) were among the key index drags. The broader S&P500 -1.30% to 4,204.31. Communication Services (-1.88%), Information Technology (-1.80%) and Consumer Discretionary (-1.79%) led all eleven primary sectors lower. Oracle Corp rose +1.53% despite releasing a mixed third quarter result after the close of last Thursday’s (10 March) session. A Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing late Friday (11 March) revealed that Berkshire Hathaway Inc (up +0.41%) spent more than US$1.5B last week to buy a further 27.1M shares in Occidental Petroleum Corp (down -0.31%), lifting the company’s stake in the energy company to 118.3M shares worth more than >US$6.9B - or ~12% of the outstanding shares. The latest purchases made Occidental Petroleum the 9th largest reported holding of Warren Buffet’s investment vehicle’s holdings of publicly-traded U.S. shares. Separately, Berkshire Hathaway on Friday (11 March) urged the rejection of four shareholder proposals recommending that it replace Warren Buffett as chairman, report on its plans to handle climate risk and reduce greenhouse gases, and improve diversity. The Nasdaq shed -2.18%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -1.59%. Ride share and food delivery company Uber Technologies (up +1.15%) announced that it is imposing a temporary fuel surcharge (ranging from US$0.45c to US$55c that will be in effect for two months) that will go directly to drivers to help mitigate the impact of soaring gas prices (which hit a record high of US$4.43 per gallon last week, up US$0.79 in the past two weeks).

US equity markets retreated as investors braced for central banks to tighten monetary policy despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Dow eased -112-points or -0.34% . Goldman Sachs Group Inc (-1.11%) became the first major Wall Street bank to pull out of Russia, saying it was winding down its business in Russia, in accordance with the relevant regulatory and licensing rules. The announcement came after the investment bank disclosed a credit exposure to Russia of US$650M. FedEx Corp (up +1.18%) announced that chief executive officer and president Donald Colleran will retire 31 December. The broader S&P500 lost -0.43%, with Information Technology (down -1.76%) led six of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy (up +3.07%) returned to the top of the primary sector leaderboard overnight, with Chevron Corp up +2.74% and Exxon Mobil Corp +3.10%. The technology-centric Nasdaq -0.95%, with Apple Inc (down -2.72%) and Meta Platforms (-1.66%) among the key drags. However, Amazon.com Inc gained +5.41% and logged its second best daily rise of 2022 after the company announced a 20-for-1 stock split and US$10B buyback after the closing bell of the previous session. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 slipped -0.23%.

US equity markets snapped a four session losing streak, with investor sentiment shifting ahead of a European Union (EU) summit tonight AEST when leaders will discuss a new growth and investment model and ways to reduce dependence on Russian energy - Dow gained +654-points or +2.00%, climbing out of official correction territory. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (up +3.80%), JPMorgan Chase & Co (up +4.01%), Nike Inc (+4.74%) and Salesforce.Com (+5.77%) were among the leading index performers. The broader S&P500 +2.57%, logging its best daily percentage gain since 5 June 2020. Information Technology (up +3.98%), Financials (+3.61%), Communication Services (+3.45%) and Materials (+3.01%) all gained over >3% to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors higher. Energy fell -3.18%. General Electric Co gained +3.5% to extend their bounce off at 14-month low after the industrial conglomerate disclosed a new US$3B stock repurchase program. The technology centric Nasdaq jumped +3.59%, dragging itself out of official bear market territory and best daily percentage gain since 9 March, 2021. Netflix Inc gained +4.98%, Microsoft Corp +4.59%, Meta Platforms +4.31% and Alphabet Inc +4.97%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rallied +2.71%.

US equity markets retreated, with the S&P500 settling at its lowest level since June 2021 after yet another volatile session - Dow down -185-points or -0.56%, unwinding an earlier +585-point rally. The broader S&P500 lost -0.72%, and pushing deeper into official correction territory. Consumer Staples (down -2.64%) and Healthcare (-2.11%) both declined over >2% to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy (up +1.39%) was yet again the leading primary sector, with Chevron Corp up +5.24%. Airlines and cruise lines also advanced. Delta Air Lines Inc rose 3.69%, American Airlines Group Inc +5.22% and United Airlines +3.32%, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd rose +3.77%. General Electric Co (up +3.24%) announced that its board authorised a $3B share buyback programme. The technology-centric Nasdaq -0.28% a day after entering an official bear market. Apple Inc (down -1.17%) staged its spring product launch event. The company unveiled a slew of new products on Tuesday, including a new iPad Air, the high-powered Mac Studio computer and the successor to one of its best-value phones, the iPhone SE. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 bucked the weaker trend, adding +0.60%.

•US equity markets fell sharply, with investors rattled by the risk of energy sanctions cascading through the economy - Dow dropped -797-points or -2.37%, with American Express Co (down -7.99%) the worst index performer. The broader S&P500 shed -2.95%, pushing deeper into official correction territory (down more than >12% from its most recent record close). Energy (up +1.57%) was once again the best performing primary sector, with Chevron Corp up +2.14% and Exxon Mobil Corp +3.60%. Utilities (up +1.31%) was the only other primary sector to advance. Consumer Discretionary (down -4.80%) was the worst performing primary sector overnight, while Communication Services (-3.74%), Information Technology (-3.70%), Financials (-3.66%) and Materials (-3.49%) all fell over >3%. The technology-centric Nasdaq slumped -3.62% to 12,830.96 and settled in bear market territory, down by more than >20% from its 19 November, 2021 peak. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -2.48%. In broader stock moves, Bed Bath & Beyond soared 34.18% after GameStop Chairman Ryan Cohen revealed he had a nearly 10% stake in the retailer, through his investment company RC Ventures.

US equity markets retreated and bond markets rallied on Friday (4 March) as investors sought out havens amid the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine - Dow down -180-points or -0.53%, paring an earlier decline of over >500-points. American Express Co (down -3.86%), JPMorgan Chase & Co (down 2.81%) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (-1.12%) were notable laggards. However, more defensive names like Walmart Inc (up +2.53%) and UnitedHealth Inc Group Inc (+2.48%) outperformed. The broader S&P500 -0.79%. Financials (down -1.96%), Information Technology (-1.78%) and Consumer Discretionary (-1.51%) all fell over >1.5% to lead six of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy (up +2.85%) once again sat atop the primary sector leaderboard, while Utilities gained +2.19%. Occidental Petroleum jumped +17.59%. In a filing late Friday (4 March), Berkshire Hathaway said it holds a total of 113.7M shares of Occidental, including both the stock and warrants. The combined holding represents 11.2% of Occidental’s outstanding shares but that overstates Berkshire’s investment since the warrant exercise price is out of the money (or above the current stock price). Travel and leisure-related companies were under fresh pressure, with American Airlines Group Inc down -7.13%, Delta Air Lines Inc -5.58% and United Airlines Holdings Inc -9.07%. The Nasdaq -1.66%. Apple Inc (down -1.56%) hosted its annual shareholder meeting on Friday (4 March) and stages its spring product launch event on Tuesday night AEST (8 March). Microsoft Corp (down -2.05%) and Netflix Inc (-1.72%) announced they were suspending new sales and services in Moscow. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 -1.56%. For the week, Dow lost -1.30%, logging its fourth straight weekly decline. The S&P500 shed -1.27% and the Nasdaq -2.78%.

Technology stocks weighed on US equity markets - Dow down -97-points or -0.29% after trading in positive territory for much of the session. The broader S&P500 settled -0.53% lower, with Consumer Discretionary (-2.29%) and Information Technology (-1.24%) leading four of the eleven primary sectors lower. More defensive sectors outperformed overnight, with Utilities (up +1.72%) and Real Estate (+1.10%) both gaining over >1%. The Nasdaq fell -1.56%. Apple Inc (down -0.20%) holds its annual shareholder meeting tonight AEST (2 March). The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -1.39%.

US equity markets rebounded sharply and a powerful rally in debt markets reversed as Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell signalled that the US central bank would raise interest rates this month despite economic uncertainty created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Dow up +596-points or +1.79%, with all 30 index components advancing. Caterpillar Inc (up +5.35%), Intel Corp (+4.38%) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (+2.49%) were among the strongest performers. The broader S&P500 gained +1.86%. Financials (up +2.55), Materials (+2.24%), Energy (+2.22%), Industrials (+2.19%) and Information Technology (+2.19%) all gained over >2% to lead all eleven primary sectors higher. Ford Motor Co jumped +8.38% after the automaker announced it would split its electric vehicle and legacy production businesses into two separate units. Ford plans to breakout financial results for both units, and its Ford+ business, by 2023.The technology-centric Nasdaq rose +1.62%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rose +2.51%.

US equity markets retreated as the military conflict in Ukraine showed no signs of abating, with Russia stepping up its bombardment of Ukraine’s biggest cities and traders seeking shelter from risk asset - Dow fell -598-points or -1.76%, paring an earlier -785-point drop. American Express was the worst performing Dow constituent overnight, down -8.47%. Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co fell -3.27% and -3.77% respectively. The broader S&P500 -1.55%, with Financials (down -3.71%) leading ten of the eleven primary sectors lower. The latest decline dragged the S&P500 back into official correction territory. Energy (up +1.03%) was the only primary sector to advance, with Chevron Corp up +3.97% and Exxon Mobil Corp +0.96%. Chevron hosted its annual Investor Day overnight and said it will ramp up share buybacks as it expects higher returns across the next four years, as much as doubling its share buyback guidance range each year to US$5B to US$10B, up from a prior range of US$3B to US$5B. The energy major also said that it expected to continue to improve cost efficiency and deliver higher returns The technology-centric Nasdaq lost -1.59%. Apple Inc (down -1.16%) confirmed that it has stopped selling its products through the Apple Store in Russia. All Apple products on the company’s Russian storefront are listed as “unavailable” for purchase or delivery in the country. Apple also said overnight that it has removed Russian state-controlled outlets RT News and Sputnik News from its App Store around the world except for Russia. Nike Inc (down -3.17%) has also stopped selling products in Russia, according to a message posted on the company’s website. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 shed -1.93%.

US equity markets modestly weaker as new sanctions imposed on Russia reverberated through financial markets - Dow down -166-points or -0.49%, paring an earlier. JPMorgan Chase & Co (down -4.17%) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (-2.52%) combined to knock ~100-points off the Dow. Nike Inc (down-1.62%), Visa Inc (-1.44%), and Procter & Gamble (-1.49%) also weighed heavily on the index. A US$1 move in any of the Dow's 30 components equates to a 6.59-point swing. The broader S&P500 -0.24%, with more than >70% of index constituents in the red. Real Estate (down -1.77%), Financials (-1.46%), Consumer Staples (-1.32%) and Materials (-1.18%) all falling over >1%. Energy sat atop the primary sector leaderboard with a +2.57% gain. Tesla Inc rallied +7.48% following reports out of Germany indicating that the company is close to receiving approvals to begin commercial production at its new factory outside of Berlin. A late session rally lifted the technology-centric Nasdaq +0.41%, rebounding from an earlier loss of as much as -1.1%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rose +0.35%.

US equity markets rallied on Friday (25 February) as war in Ukraine raged, with investors watching for signs that the conflict with Russia would be contained to the two countries - Dow jumped +835-points or +2.51%, notching its best daily gain since early November 2020. Johnson & Johnson (up +%) and 3M Co (+%). The broader S&P500 +2.24%. Etsy Inc soared +16.21% after the online marketplace’s quarterly results beat analyst estimates. The Nasdaq +1.64%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +2.25%.

US equity markets staged a impressive comeback from steep declines earlier in the session, with the technology-centric Nasdaq registering its biggest intraday swing since the throes of the pandemic in March 2020 - Dow up +92-points or +0.28%, erasing an earlier -859-point/-2.6% drop The broader S&P500 gained +1.50%, recovering from an earlier session slide of as much as -2.6%. Information Technology (up +3.47%) and Communication Services (+3.13%) leading the fight back with gains of over >3%. Consumer Staples (down -1.71%) and Financials (-1.17%) were the laggard primary sectors. The Nasdaq rebounded +3.34%, rallying back from an earlier ~3.5% slump. The technology-centric index opened the session in bear market territory, down more than >20% from its record peak in November. Netflix Inc rose +6.14%, Microsoft Corp +5.11%, Alphabet Inc +4.00% and Meta Platforms Inc +4.61%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rose +2.64%.

The Dow and S&P500 extended losses into a fifth consecutive session following a late-session sell-off as escalating tensions dragged the benchmark indices to fresh 2022 lows - Dow down -465-points or -1.38%, just avoiding falling into official correction territory. The broader S&P500 pushed further into official correction territory, falling -1.84% and unwinding an earlier rally of as much as +0.9%. Consumer Discretionary (down 3.42%) and Information Technology (-2.56%) led ten of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy (up +1.01%) was the only primary sector to advance. The technology-centric Nasdaq shed -2.57%, with e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc down 3.58%, and Apple Inc -2.59%. The Dow and Nasdaq closed below their 24 January intra-day lows of 33,150.33 and 4,222.62 respectively. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost 1.82%.

US equity markets resumed trading after the Presidents’ Day long weekend firmly on the backfoot as the geopolitical developments between Russia and Ukraine continued to dent investor sentiment - Dow shed -483-points or -1.42% to its lowest close since 18 June last year (33,596.61) after falling more than >700-points earlier in the session. The broader S&P500 lost -1.01% to 4,304.76, the lowest close since 4 October last year and settling in official correction territory (down just over >10% from its 3 January all-time high of 4,796.64). ~76% of index constituents declined. Consumer Discretionary (down -3.04%) led all eleven primary sectors lower. The technology-centric Nasdaq fell -1.23%. Consumer Discretionary (down 3.04%) led all eleven primary sectors lower. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -1.45%.

European bourses relinquished opening gains to settle in the red, with the Automotive sector (down -2.7%) leading the pan-European Stoxx 600 index (which includes UK equities) -1.30% lower. Germany's DAX fell -2.07%. France's CAC lost -2.04%. French car parts group Faurecia SE fell -5.40% despite forecasting a rise in annual sales, adding that it expected semiconductor shortages to ease from the second half of 2022. In broader stock moves, Credit Suisse Group AG fell -3.09% after the Swiss investment bank said that it “strongly rejects” allegations published following a coordinated global media investigation into a mass leak of its client data over previous decades. The leaked information was purported to contain human rights abusers and businessmen under sanctions. In economic data, a flash reading of the IHS Markit manufacturing PMI slipped to 58.4 in February from a final reading of 58.7 in January, below economists’ forecast for an unchanged reading. The eurozone services PMI rose to a five month high of 55.8 in February from 51.1 in January, better than economists’ forecasts for a reading of 52.0. The services business expectations index climbed to 68.7 in February from 67.2. The readings saw a flash reading of the Composite PMI jump to a five-month high of 55.8 in February from 52.3 in January, significantly above median economists forecasts for 52.7. The German producer price index (PPI) rose at its fastest rate since modern records began in January, printing at 25% year-on-year versus 24.2% in December. Energy prices continue to make the biggest upward contribution, up +66.7%. The German Ifo Business Climate index for February is released tonight AEST.

US equity markets weaker after another volatile session ahead the long weekend that saw tensions between Russia and Ukraine intensify and trillions of dollars in options and futures on stocks, indexes and exchange traded funds (ETF) expire - Dow down -233-points or -0.68%, with Intel Corp (down -5.32%) the biggest index laggard as Bank of America reiterated an ‘underperform rating’ on the company. The broader S&P500 -0.72%, with Information Technology (down -1.10%) leading ten of the eleven primary sectors lower. Consumer Staples (up +0.11%) was the only primary sector to edge higher. Ford Motor Co rose +2.85% amid after Bloomberg News reported that the company is considering separating its electric-vehicle (EV) operation from its legacy car and truck manufacturing, a move seen boosting its competitiveness against singularly EV-focused makes such as Tesla Inc (down -2.21%). The technology-centric Nasdaq lost -1.23%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -0.93%. Roku Inc tumbled -22.29% in after the streaming company’s issued an underwhelming outlook for the current quarter after the closing bell of the previous session. US equity and bond markets are CLOSED tonight AEST for the Presidents’ Day holiday.

Fresh fears over Russia-Ukraine drove sharp declines for US equity markets, with the technology sector once again bearing the brunt of the losses - Dow dropped -622-points or -1.78%, logging its worst single session performance for the calendar year-to-date. The broader S&P500 shed -2.12%, with 85% of the index constituents declining and the slide ranking among the five worst trading days of the past year for the benchmark index. Information Technology (down -3.06%), Communication Services (-2.96%) and Consumer Discretionary (-2.57%) all declining over >2.65% to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors lower. Consumer Staples (up +0.91%) and Utilities (+0.06%) were the only primary sectors to advance. Cisco Systems Inc gained +2.80 after the networking hardware and software posting better-than-expected fiscal second quarter numbers after the closing bell of the previous session. The technology-centric Nasdaq slumped -2.88%. Nvidia Corp fell -7.56% despite the chipmaker posting better-than-expected adjusted fourth quarter earnings per share and record revenue after the close of Wednesday’s (16 January) session. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -2.37%.

US equity markets mixed as investors digested the latest Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting minutes and mixed messaging around the Russia-Ukraine tensions - Dow eased -55-points or -0.16%, paring an earlier decline of over >300-points. The broader S&P500 added +0.09%, recovering from an earlier ~0.7% fall. Energy up +0.76%) led ten of the eleven primary sectors higher, with Information Technology (down 0.17%) the only sector not to advance. ViacomCBS tumbled -17.81% to be the worst S&P500 performer overnight after the company reported lower-than-expected quarterly earnings after the close of the previous session and announced it was rebranding itself Paramount Global to focus on streaming. The Nasdaq -0.11%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +2.76%.

US equity markets climbed sharply (as Treasury yields rose and oil prices retreated) amid signs of an easing of tensions over Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying Moscow is ready for talks with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on limits to missile deployments in Europe following a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and following a claim that Russia is pulling back some troops in the area. - Dow up +423-points or +1.22%, with Boeing Co climbing +3.66% The broader S&P500 +1.58%, with Information Technology (up +2.73%) and Consumer Discretionary (+2.08%) advancing over >2% to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors higher. Energy (down -1.39%) and Utilities (-0.55%) were the only primary sectors to settle in the red. The Nasdaq +2.53%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +2.83%. In merger and acquisition (M&A) news, Intel Corp rose +1.81% after striking a US$5.4B deal to acquire Tower Semiconductor, as the chipmaker to bolster its manufacturing capabilities.

US equity markets weaker after a choppy session, with stocks whipsawing on various news reports related to Ukraine - Dow fell -172-points or -0.49%, with pharmacy group Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (down -2.75%), International Business Machines (IBM) Corp -1.91% and energy major Chevron Corp (-1.54%) among the notable drags on the index. The broader S&P500 lost -0.38%, with Energy (down -2.24%) leading nine of the eleven primary sectors lower after topping the primary sector leaderboard last Friday (11 February). Financials (down -1.11%), Health Care (-1.09%) and Real Estate (-1.02%) all fell over >1%. Consumer Discretionary (up +0.58%) and Communication Services (+0.32%) were the only primary sectors to advance. The S&P500 logged its third straight session decline and racked up its biggest three-day drop (-4.09%) since 28 October 2020. The technology-centric Nasdaq was flat, unwinding an earlier ~1% rally and extending its decline over the past three days to -4.8%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -0.41%. In merger and acquisition (M&A) news, Splunk Inc rose +9.13% after The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Cisco Systems (down -1.34%) made a takeover offer worth more than >US$20B for the software maker. The offer was made recently and the companies aren’t currently in active talks, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Separately, Lockheed Martin Corp fell -2.33% as it ended its bid to buy Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc (-5.60%) after the Federal Trade Commission last month sued to block the proposed US$4.4B deal.

US equity markets retreated sharply in Friday’s (11 February) afternoon session (and crude prices jumped), with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan advising at a White House briefing that took place ~2-hours before the close of trading that there were signs of Russian escalation at the Ukraine border - Dow down -504-points or -1.43% . The broader S&P500 shed -1.90%, with Information Technology (down -3.01%), Consumer Discretionary (-2.82%) and Communication Services (-2.54%) all falling over >2.5% and leading nine of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy (up +2.79%) and Utilities (+0.01%) were the only sectors to advance. Exxon Mobil Corp and ConocoPhillips gained +2.5% and +2.3%, respectively. However, American Airlines Group Inc fell -5.88% and Delta Air Lines Inc -3.58%. The Nasdaq dropped -2.78%. Semiconductor stocks, which have been volatile in part due to supply chain issues caused by COVID, were notable underperformers on Friday (11 February), with Advanced Micro Devices (down -10.01%), Nvidia Corp -7.3% and Xilinx Inc (-9.99%) both falling ~10%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -1.02%. “Buy now, pay later” provider Affirm Holdings Inc plunged -20.67% after the group posted a wider-than-expected fiscal second quarter loss and disappointing third quarter revenue guidance.

US equity markets retreated, with technology stocks under renewed pressure as investors assessed another hot inflation report - Dow down -527-points or -1.47%. However, Walt Disney Co gained +3.35% after recording record first quarter revenue and better-than-expected adjusted earnings per share (EPS) after the close of the previous session. The broader S&P500 lost -1.81%, with Real Estate (down -2.86%), Information Technology (-2.75%) and Utilities (-2.61%) all falling over >2.5% to lead all eleven primary sectors lower. The technology-centric Nasdaq dropped -2.10%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -1.55%.

US equity markets advanced, underpinned by a further rebound for the technology sector - Dow up +305-points or +0.86% . The broader S&P500 +1.45%, with Communication Services (up +2.45%), Real Estate (+2.38%), Information Technology (2.31%) and Materials (+2.13%) all climbing over >2% to lead all eleven primary sectors higher. The technology-centric Nasdaq +2.08%, settling over >8% above its 27 January closing low Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc rebounded +5.37% a day after the company’s market capitalisation fell below

US equity markets rallied, shrugging off the latest climb in Treasury yields - Dow up +372-points or +1.06%, with American Express (up +3.3%) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (+%) notable index performers. The broader S&P500 +0.84%, reversing earlier losses as investors rotated into materials, technology, and financial stocks. It was a broad rally, with gainers in the S&P 500 outnumbering decliners by more than 2 to 1. The Nasdaq +1.28%. Nvidia Corp rose +1.54% after the chipmaker announced that its planned acquisition of chip designer Arm from SoftBank (down -0.9%) had been terminated. However, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc fell -2.10%, sending its market capitalisation below

A weaker start to the new trading week for US equity markets - Dow unchanged . The broader S&P500 eased -0.37% despite another strong session for the Energy sector (up +1.31%). Communication Services (down -2.24%) was the worst performing primary sector overnight along with Information Technology (-0.66%). The Nasdaq down -0.58%. Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc fell -5.14% and has dropped ~30% since the company’s fourth quarter result last Wednesday (2 February). Google parent Alphabet Inc (down -2.85%) disclosed that Larry Page, co-founder and current board member, has sold more than $80M worth of shares, a couple of days after the stock surged on the back of a blowout earnings report and stock-split announcement. In filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission after Friday’s (4 January) closing bell, the internet search giant said Mr Page sold 13,889 on 3 February in the open market. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +0.51%.

US equity markets mostly firmer on Friday (4 January) - Dow slipped -21-points or -0.06%, with declines in UnitedHealth Group Inc (down -1.15%), Home Depot Inc (-1.41%) and 3M Co (-2.23%) overshadowing solid gains for Goldman Sachs Group Inc (up +2.43%) and Salesforce.com Inc (+3.04%). The broader S&P500 added +0.52%, with the Consumer Discretionary sector (up +3.74%) leading five of the eleven primary sectors higher, underpinned by Amazon.com Inc’s +13.54% jump following the company’s strong fourth quarter result after the closing bell last Thursday (3 February). Some US$11.8B of the US$14.3B fourth-quarter profit it reported was from an investment in Rivian Automotive, which went public in the quarter. Financials (up +1.66%) and Energy (+1.58%) also performed strongly. Materials (down -1.72%) and Real Estate (-1.26%) brought up the rear on Friday (4 February). Ford Motor Co dropped -9.07% after the automaker posted weaker-than-expected fourth quarter earnings after the close of the previous session. The company also confirmed over the weekend earlier reports that it would be rolling back production at some of its plants beginning this week. Chief Executive Jim Farley acknowledged supply-chain problems - such as a shortage of semiconductors - at the auto maker in an interview with Barron’s on Friday (4 January), and said the shortages were adding to rising costs and constraining production. The Nasdaq rallied +1.58% after dipping into the red shortly after the opening bell. Amazon.com Inc broke the record Friday (4 February) for the largest-ever one-day gain in market value (US$191.3B) for a U.S. company - just a day after Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (down -0.28%) suffered the largest-ever daily loss in market capitalisation (US$232B). The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rose +0.57%. Snap Inc soared +58.82% after the social media group reported better-than-expected fourth quarter user growth and an upbeat outlook after the close of the previous session.

US equity markets declined as some major technology earnings continued to rattle investor sentiment - Dow dropped -518-points or -1.45% . The broader S&P500 shed -2.44%, snapping a four session rally and recording its biggest daily drop since February 2021. Communication Services tumbled -6.83% to lead ten of the eleven primary sectors lower, while Consumer Discretionary (down -3.57%) and Information Technology (-3.07%) both fell over >3%. Consumer Staples was the only primary sector to advance, eking out a +0.01% gain. PayPal Holdings Inc fell -6.24%, bringing their total decline to just under 30% since the closing bell on Tuesday (1 February) when the payments company warned that a weakening ecommerce environment would slow its growth rate. The technology-centric Nasdaq slumped -3.74%, logging its worst single session decline since September 2020. Meta Platforms Inc (formerly Facebook) tumbled -26.39%, wiping more than >US$230B off its market capitalisation after posting disappointing fourth quarter earnings per share and weaker-than-expected guidance after the closing bell of the previous session. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -1.90%.

US equity markets advanced however there were some steep earnings release-related declines after the closing bell - Dow up +224-points or +0.63% . The broader S&P500 gained +0.94% with Communication Services (up +3.09%) leading ten of the eleven primary sectors higher. Consumer Discretionary (down -0.53%) was the only primary sector to close in the red. PayPal Inc slumped -24.6% after the payments company reported EPS (US$1.11 versus consensus US$1.12) and guidance (expects to earn between US$4.60 and US$4.75 in fiscal 2022, below current forecasts for US$5.25) that fell short of Wall Street estimates. The Nasdaq added +0.50%, with Google parent Alphabet Inc jumping +7.3% following its strong fourth quarter result after the closing bell of the previous session that also saw the company announce a 20-for-1 stock split. Advanced Micro Devices Inc rose +5.1% after the chipmaker also posted a strong fourth quarter result after the close of Tuesday’s (1 February). However, the small capitalisation Russell 2000 fell -1.03%.

US equity markets built on a two-day rally after a volatile January, opening February on a positive note - Dow up +273-points or +0.78% . Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co gained +2.64% and +1.72% respectively. The broader S&P500 +0.69%, with Energy returning to the top of the primary sector leaderboard overnight with a +3.54% gain and leading eight of the eleven primary sector lower. More defensive sectors underperformed, with Utilities down -1.28%. The technology-centric Nasdaq rose +0.75%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +1.10%.

US equity markets climbed for a second session to close out a tough January that left the S&P500 and Nasdaq nursing their worst month since the onset of the pandemic - Dow rallied +406-points or +1.17% . Boeing Co (up +5.07%) was the top index performer after the airline won a deal with Qatar Airways worth $34B. The broader S&P500 gained +1.89%, with Consumer Discretionary (up +3.81%), Information Technology (+2.68%) and Communication Services (+2.40%) leading all eleven primary sectors higher. Tesla Inc gained +10.68% after Credit Suisse upgraded the electric vehicle maker following the recent pullback and citing robust company fundamentals. The Nasdaq jumped +3.41%. Netflix Inc jumped +11.13% (paring its January loss to -29.1%) after Citi upgraded the stock to buy from neutral, saying that the streaming service has ample pricing power to weather high inflation, and that prevailing equity values don’t reflect material subscriber growth prospects beyond 2023. Chipmaker NVIDIA Corp rallied +7.21%, paring its monthly decline to -16.7%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 +3.05%. In merger and acquisition (M&A) news, cloud-computing company Citrix Systems Inc (down -3.42%) confirmed weekend press speculation that Elliott Management Corp.’s private-equity arm, Evergreen Coast Capital, and Vista Equity Partners would acquire the company for US$16.5B.

US equity markets rebounded sharply to cap a volatile week that saw investors grapple with the latest monetary pronouncements from the Federal Reserve and geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine - Dow rallied +565-points or +1.65%, logging its best single session performance since 6 December after recovering from an earlier session decline of over >350-points. The broader S&P500 gained +2.43%, recovering from an earlier ~0.8% decline to record its best single session performance since June 2020 and settle ~8% below its most recent all-time peak. The Nasdaq rallied +3.13%. Apple Inc jumped +6.98%, recording its best single session percentage gain since July 31, 2020 after posting its largest single quarter in terms of revenue ever after the close of last Thursday’s (27 January) session, with sales growing over >11% to US$123.9B (versus consensus US$119B) despite supply challenges and the lingering effects of the pandemic. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 gained +1.93%. In merger and acquisition (M&A) news, there were reports over the weekend that cloud-computing company Citrix Systems Inc is close to a deal to be taken private, with Elliott Management Corp.’s private-equity arm, Evergreen Coast Capital, and Vista Equity Partners nearing an agreement to pay US$104 per share ~$13B.

US equity markets logged modest losses following another volatile session that saw the benchmark indices relinquish earlier gains - Dow dipped -7-points or +0.02% after trading more than >600-points higher earlier in the session. The broader S&P500 -0.54% to 4,326.51, settling just above 4,316.905, the level below which would see the index fall into official correction territory (or a fall of at least 10% from its record closing high of ). The Consumer Discretionary sector dropped -2.27% to lead five of the eleven primary sectors lower. Energy sat atop the primary sector leaderboard with a +1.24% gain. The Nasdaq -1.40% to 13,352.78, with the technology centric index on track pace for its longest weekly losing streak since November 2012. The Nasdaq is ~17.6% below its 19 November, 2021 record peak of 16,212.23. Netflix Inc (up +7.51%) continued to climb following confirmation after the close of Wednesday’s (26 January) session that Pershing Square’s Bill Ackman said his firm “recently” purchased more than 3.1M shares in the streaming giant, making it a top-20 holder of the stock. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 -2.29% at 1,931.29, ~21% below its record close of 2,442.74 set on 8 November, 2021 and marking the indice’s first bear market since 9 March, 2020. The latest pullback has the Dow, S&P 500 and Russell 2000 on pace for their worst months since March 2020, while the Nasdaq was sliding closer to its worst month since October 2008.

Another whipsaw session for US equity markets as investors digested the latest monetary policy pronouncements from the Federal Reserve and the latest round of corporate earnings releases - Dow down -130-points or -0.38%, unwinding an earlier rally of over >500-points. The broader S&P500 slipped -0.15%. The Nasdaq eked out a +0.02% gain, with Microsoft Corp rising +2.85% following their solid fourth quarter result after the closing bell of Tuesday’s (25 January) session. Netflix Inc rose over >3.5% in after hours trading (following a -1.83% fall in the regular session) after Pershing Square’s Bill Ackman said his firm “recently” purchased more than 3.1M shares in the streaming giant, making it a top-20 holder of the stock. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -1.38%.

US equity markets staged an impressive intra-session comeback overnight albeit there was no specific catalyst for the intraday turnaround - Dow up +99-points or +0.29%, logging its first advance in seven sessions and roaring back from an earlier -1,115 point or -3.25% tumble. It marked the biggest intra-day reversal for the Dow since the wild trading of March 2020. The broader S&P500 added +0.28% to 4,410.13 after falling ~4% and into official correction territory (down over >10% from its 3 January record closing high of 4,796.56) earlier in the session. The index staged its sharpest snapback after being down to end positive since 23 October, 2008. 17 stocks in the S&P500 recorded intra-day price swings of at least 10%, including Moderna Inc (down -1.7%) and Nvidia Corp (-0.01%). Consumer Discretionary rose +1.21% to lead eight if of the eleven primary sectors higher. Utilities (down -1.09%) brought up the rear. The S&P500 is still down -7.47% in January and on pace for its worst monthly performance since March 2020. The technology-centric Nasdaq settled +0.63% higher, snapping a four session losing streak and recovering from an earlier slump of as much as -4.9%. The session marked the first time since the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2008 that the Nasdaq Composite had been down more than >4% intraday and closed up. Netflix Inc (down -2.60%) continued to slide after reporting slowing subscriber growth after the close of last Thursday’s (20 January) session. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 rallied +2.29%. Kohl’s Corp soared +36.02% after the department store retailer confirmed that it had received buyout offer. The Wall Street Journal had reported over the weekend that a consortium backed by activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP has offered ~US$9B (or US$64 per share) to buy the department store chain.

US equity markets retreated on Friday (21 January), with the selling once again intensifying into the close of the session and with technology stocks under fresh selling pressure - Dow down -450-points or -1.30% . The broader S&P500 -1.89% to sit ~8.7% below its 4 January intra-day peak (4,818.62), with Communication Services (down -3.88%) and Consumer Discretionary (-3.10%) falling over >3% to lead nine of the eleven primary sectors lower. Consumer Staples (up +0.02%) was the only primary sector to advance. The Nasdaq dropped -2.72% to 13,768.92. The technology-centric index is down ~15% from its record close on 19 November (16,017.23), nearing the 20% decline from a recent peak that would meet the commonly used definition for a bear market. Netflix Inc slumped -21.79% after reporting slowing subscriber growth after the close of last Thursday’s (20 January) session. Walt Disney Co, with its Disney+ and Hulu services, fell -6.94% and streaming-device maker Roku Inc -9.10%. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 lost -1.78%.

US equity markets sold off in the final hour of trading, once again relinquishing an earlier rally - Dow down -313-points or -0.89%, falling for a fifth straight session having climbed over >400-points earlier in the day. The 30-stock average closed below its 200-day moving average for the first time since December 2021. The broader S&P500 -1.10% to 4,482.73, settling below 4,500 for the first time since October last year after relinquishing an earlier +1.53% rally. Consumer Discretionary (down -1.94%), Materials (-1.49%), Information Technology (-1.33%), Industrials (-1.10%) and Communication Services (-1.14%) all dropped over >1% to lead ten of the eleven primary sectors lower. The Utilities sector (up +0.14%) was the only primary sector to advance. The Nasdaq -1.30%, giving up an earlier rally of as much as +2.1% and pushing further into official correction territory. The small capitalisation Russell 2000 -1.88%. Peloton Interactive Inc slumped -23.93% to US$24.22 per share after the stationary bike maker announced it will temporarily halt production of its bikes and treadmills due to waning demand as it tries to control costs. The news saw the stock drop below its September 2019 initial public offer price of US$29 per share. The stock hit an all-time intraday high of US$171.09 on 14 January of last year.