AUS
NZ
UK
CA
USA
IND
Highlights
- S&P/ASX200 poised to open higher following global equity rally
- US-China tariff truce energizes tech, consumer, and mining sectors
- Key updates from small caps including (ASX:OCC), (ASX:LVM), and (ASX:KAI)
Australian equities are expected to open sharply higher today, tracking a powerful rally on Wall Street following news of a significant easing in US-China trade tensions. As of early morning trade, futures for the S&P/ASX200 were up 97 points (+1.17%), pointing to a bright session ahead for the Australian market.
The agreement between the US and China to reduce tariffs over a 90-day period sparked optimism across global financial markets. The US will reduce its tariff on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China plans to cut duties on US imports from 125% to 10%. This development helped restore confidence and reinvigorated appetite for growth-sensitive sectors.
On Wall Street, major indices posted robust gains:
- The S&P 500 surged 3.26% to 5,844
- The NASDAQ Composite rose 4.35% to 18,708
- The Dow Jones climbed 2.81% to 42,410
Technology and consumer discretionary stocks led the rally. Major US-listed companies such as Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) gained 6.7%, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) added 6.3%, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) jumped 8%, and Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) climbed 5.3%.
Australian sectors likely to benefit include technology, consumer discretionary, and materials—particularly companies exposed to exports. The weakening Australian dollar and higher commodity prices are expected to further support performance, particularly among ASX dividend stocks.
Iron ore futures lifted 1.2% to US$99.75 a tonne, with aluminium up 3.2% and copper slightly lower by 0.7%. Oil prices reached two-week highs, supported by the improved economic outlook. Brent crude rose 1.6% to US$64.96 a barrel.
In local updates, Meridian Energy (ASX:MEZ) has reached a NZ$70 million agreement to acquire customer contracts from Z Energy, a subsidiary of Ampol. Meanwhile, Orthocell (ASX:OCC) secured regulatory approval to begin distribution of its nerve repair product Remplir in Hong Kong—expanding its international footprint.
Small-cap activity also remains lively. Kairos Minerals (ASX:KAI) appointed Simon Lill, former De Grey Mining chair, as non-executive chairman ahead of its largest drilling program to date. Resource Mining Corporation (ASX:RMI) commenced laboratory analysis of samples from its Tanzanian copper-gold project. Livium (ASX:LVM) expanded its battery recycling agreement with BYD Australia to include BESS and commercial vehicle batteries.
Currency markets saw the Australian dollar slip to US63.70 cents amid renewed US dollar strength. Attention now turns to the upcoming US inflation report, expected to reflect April's annual core CPI at 2.8%, which could guide future Federal Reserve rate decisions.
In domestic developments, investors will be watching earnings releases from Life360 (ASX:360), expected to show a 32% rise in Q1 revenue, and Humm Group (ASX:HUM), reporting a 10% increase in assets under management. Meanwhile, ANZ Group (ASX:ANZ) shares are trading ex-dividend, a notable update for those following S&P/ASX200 benchmarks.
With improving global sentiment, easing trade tensions, and resilient corporate updates, the Australian market appears poised for a dynamic start to the week.
