S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
The ASX 200 closed slightly firmer at 8,978 on Friday, clawing back losses from the prior session as strength in tech, non-energy minerals, and utilities offset broader caution. Sentiment was lifted by a rally in U.S. stock futures after Amazon’s upbeat earnings and a rebound in chip stocks on Wall Street Thursday. Gains, however, were capped by weaker factory activity in China, with July’s official PMI underscoring slowing demand from Australia’s key trading partner. Miners gained on higher copper prices, lifting Rio Tinto (1.0%) and South32 (0.8%), while gold producers Evolution Mining (1.8%) also advanced. However, the big four banks fell between 0.1% and 0.4%. Still, Australian equities booked their first weekly gain in a month, up 2.3%, and a fourth straight monthly rise, supported by robust private credit growth in June. Inflation worries also eased after softer June and Q2 readings, reinforcing views that the central bank’s three rate hikes this year are beginning to bite.
