Global Markets Report - 29 August
ASX set to open lower, after US indexes fell on tech-stock selloff.
Australia
Australian shares are set to open lower, after US indexes fell on a selloff in tech stocks.
ASX futures were down 0.27% or 22 points as of 8:00am on Thursday, suggesting a lower open.
A selloff in technology shares drove major US stock indexes lower while traders awaited quarterly results from Nvidia, the chipmaker at the center of the market frenzy around artificial intelligence.
The Nasdaq Composite led the way down, dropping 1.1%. The S&P 500 shed 0.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which hit a fresh record high on Tuesday, declined 0.4%.
In commodity markets, Brent crude oil was down 1.4% to US$78.46 a barrel, while gold was flat at US$2,505.72.
The Australian dollar was at 67.70 US cents, down from its previous close of 67.91.
Asia
Chinese shares closed mixed. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.4% to 2,837.43, and the Shenzhen Composite Index was flat at 1,493.59.
Hong Kong shares ended lower. The benchmark Hang Seng Index lost 1.0% to 17,692.45.
Japanese shares closed higher. The Nikkei Stock Average added 0.2% to 38,371.76.
India shares ended higher. The BSE SENSEX rose 0.1% to 81,785.56.
Europe
Stocks in the U.K. finished flat. The FTSE 100 Index was 8,343.85.
In Europe, shares closed higher. Germany's DAX added 0.5% to 18,782.29, and France's CAC 40 gained 0.2% to 7,577.67.
North America
U.S. stocks ended lower. The DJIA slipped 0.4% to 41,091.42, the S&P 500 lost 0.6% to 5,592.18, and the Nasdaq fell 1.1% to 17,556.03.
Among S&P 500 companies, the top three gainers were Insulet Corp, surging 6.15%, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc jumped 2.94%, and Tyson Foods Inc lifted 2.75%.
The biggest decliners were Super Micro Computer Inc which dropped 19.02%, Bath & Body Works Inc fell 7.00%, and JM Smucker Co lost 4.95%.