Wednesday 15th April – ASX 200 up 8 – Rally falters – Banks ease – Gold miners up – US Futures flat.

15 Wednesday Apr 2026

Posted by in Daily Reports

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The ASX 200 closed up a mere 8 points to 8979 (0.1%) after an enthusiastic start petered out. Banks went all soggy on some broker doubts, WBC dropped another % and the Big Bank Basket fell to $306.62 (-0.5%). Other financials fared ok, MQG continued higher, up 1.4% and insurers better too, IAG up 1.5%. REITs were solid with GMG up 1.3% and GPT up 0.7%. Industrials a mixed bag, WES fell yet again, down 0.9% with BXB off 0.8%, not so palatable, and WOW and COL were not such super markets. Utilities also under pressure. Tech modestly higher but not running away. Questions till remain. WTC up 3.6% and XRO gaining 2.6% with the All-Tech Index up 1.8%.

Resources were a mixed box of chocolates, gold miners firmed, EVN soared 9.6% on a positive quarterly, NEM was shaken, but not stirred at Cadia up 0.5% and GMD rose 5.0%. Rare earth stocks slid as too did lithium plays, PLS down 0.2% and LTR off 0.3%. In oil and gas stocks, more easing back but off lows. WDS down 2.4% and STO falling 2.9%. Uranium stocks mixed as BOE rained on the sector falling 9.3%. PDN kept moving higher by 4.5% and coal stocks fell slightly.

In corporate news, VGN talked fuel hedges and reaffirmed guidance, up 7.2%. NUF jumped 11.3% after it forecast a 17% increase in first-half underlying EBITDA amid plans to cut a further $50m in costs. MSB firmed on a CAR licence acquisition.

Nothing on the economic front.

Asian markets saw modest gains – Japan up 0.4%, HK up 0.5% and China down 0.1%. 10-year yields fall to 4.93%.

US Futures jump, Nasdaq down 20, Dow down 30. Europe is opening unchanged.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Winners: EIQ, NUF, AYA, EVN, DRO, SRL, LRV
  • Losers: BOE, LYC, EQR, VEA, STK
  • Positive Sectors: Financials. Gold miners. Tech.
  • Negative Sectors: Banks. Oil and gas. Utilities.
  • ASX 200 Hi 9015 Lo 8971.
  • Big Bank Basket: Falls to $306.62(-0.5%)
  • All-Tech Index: Rallies 1.7%
  • Gold: Steady at $6757
  • Bitcoin: Steady at US$74352
  • 10-year yields: fell to 4.93%
  • AUD: Rising to 71.39c.

MARKET MOVERS

  • EIQ +13.9% solid day.
  • NUF +11.3% guidance update.
  • DRO +9.1% finally a bounce.
  • SRL +8.9% so volatile.
  • AYA +10.1% more biotech movers.
  • EVN +9.6% quarterly.
  • MSB+8.0% CAR platform acquisition.
  • VGN +7.2% reiterates guidance.
  • RAC +8.2% more gains in sector.
  • OCC +24.1% secures access to 221 US medical centres.
  • SPL +15.0% becoming a substantial shareholder.
  • AVH +13.8% positive interim results from Cohealyx study.
  • BOE -9.3% rain ruins Honeymoon.
  • LYC -6.8% profit taking.
  • TLX -4.2% profit taking.
  • VEA -4.5% oil price.
  • CDM -6.0% NTA and investment update.
  • Yesterday’s Hero: BSX -8.8%
  • Speculative Stock of the Day: IMM +84.6% FDA ODD.

ECONOMIC AND OTHER NEWS

  • February, short-term visitor arrivals: 943,220 – an increase of 19.7% on one year earlier.
  • The three leading source countries where visitors came from were: China (220,170 trips) – New Zealand (85,190) – The UK (83,580).
  • NAB has kept its broad Australian dollar outlook largely unchanged, but warned that near-term risks are increasingly skewed to the downside amid geopolitical uncertainty and energy-driven volatility.
  • National Storage REIT shareholders (NSR) have voted in favour of a $4bn takeover of Australia’s largest self-storage provider by Brookfield and Singaporean wealth giant GIC.
  • UBS has reduced its target price on Qantas and slashed its earnings-per-share forecast by as much as 19%.
  • The US SEC gave the go-ahead for sweeping changes to a restriction on day-trading activity by small investors. The new rules cover the pattern day trading rule, which bans a trader from making more than four day-trades in a five-day period if their margin account has less than $25,000 in assets.
  • Iran used Chinese spy satellite to target US bases.
  • Trump’s push to cut US interest rates akin to ‘banana republic’, says Yellen.
  • Maine becomes first US state to pass data centre construction ban.
  • US hotels slash summer room rates as World Cup demand falls short.
  • European futures showing little change ahead of today’s session.

And finally….

Did you know that Darth Vader had a brother in federal prison? His name was Taxi. Taxi Vader.

Me: People tell me that I have a unique way of lighting up a room.

Therapist: It’s called
Arson and those People are called Witnesses.

Clarence

XXXXX

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