ASX 200 fell 10 points to 8399 as DeepSeek weighed on energy and data centres. Banks kicked higher again with CBA up % and NAB up % with the Big Bank Basket up to $263.02 (0.7%). Financials were generally weaker, MQG down 1.5% on its data centre exposure and ASX falling 5.1% with IFT off 4.4%. REITS mixed with data centre fave GMG down 8.2% and SGP up 2.0%. Industrials mixed too, Retail better, WES up 1.1% and ALL rallying 4.2% with tech under a little pressure, XRO up 1.7% and WTC down 0.5% with the All–tech Index down 0.7%. Utilities eased on energy forecasts falling, TLS rallied 0.8%. Resources too were mixed, gold miners eased back, NEM down 0.7% and NST falling 2.2% with EVN down 0.2%. BHP and RIO were up around 0.4% with lithium sliding. Uranium stocks got walloped on DeepSeek news, DYL down 15.5% and PDN off 9.4%. Energy stocks generally were lower. In corporate news, GOR down on its quarterly, TLX pushed up again on completing its latest US acquisition. NXL tumbled 20.2% on profit guidance. Nothing on the economic front locally. In Asia, Lunar New Year beckons, Japan down 1.2%, HK up 0.1% and China down 0.4%. 10-year yields back to 4.42%.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Winners: SIG, EBR, FCL, OPT, FLT, ALL, URW
  • Losers: NXL, BMN, LOT, DYL, BRN, WBT, NXG, DGT
  • Positive Sectors: Banks. Old ‘Skool’ Platforms.
  • Negative sectors: Gold miners. Uranium. Data centres. Energy providers.
  • ASX 200 Hi 8427 Lo 8387
  • Big Bank Basket: Higher at $263.02 (0.7%)
  • All-Tech Index: Down 0.7%
  • Gold: Steady at AUD$4384
  • Bitcoin: Rises to US$103029
  • 10-year yield steady at 4.42%
  • AUD: Falls to 62.50c
  • Asian markets lower, Japan down 1.2%, HK up 0.1% and China down 0.4%.
  • Dow Futures down 70 Nasdaq up 45

MARKET MOVERS

  • SIG +12.2% Chemist Warehouse sales.
  • EBR +8.0% new facility to expand manufacturing capabilities.
  • OPT +5.6% beat goes on.
  • FLT +4.3% broker upgrade.
  • ALL +4.2% buyback update.
  • RHK +44.5% FMG bids.
  • DSE +30.5% Ninja bids.
  • TBN +18.2% EP98 operational update.
  • CAY +4.4% signs train deal.
  • NXL -20.2% quarterly disappoints.
  • DYL -15.5% BOE -10.4% uranium under pressure.
  • DGT -11.5% data centres on DeepSeek.
  • DRO -6.1% ceasing to be substantial shareholder.
  • CLG -10.3% doubts grow.
  • AEE -10.3% quarterly activities.
  • PEN -13.4% AGE -10.5% uranium toxic today.
  • Speculative Stock of the Day: AQD +26.5% again. Three days in a row.

ECONOMIC AND OTHER NEWS

  • President Donald Trump said he wants to enact across-the-board tariffs that are “much bigger” than 2.5%.
  • Robert Kennedy allies fear he is losing US Senate support.
  • Copper declined after US President Donald Trump said he planned to impose import tariffs on the metal, as well as aluminium and steel, raising fears of trade wars and spurring further gains in the dollar.
  • The US Senate confirmed Scott Bessent as the next secretary of the Treasury – Bessent pushes gradual 2.5% universal US tariffs plan.
  • Microsoft is in talks to acquire the US arm of ByteDance’s TikTok US operations.
  • Wall Street’s AI ‘bubble’ echoes dotcom excesses, Ray Dalio warns.
  • EU and Nato take vow of silence on Greenland.

And finally…some great Questions and Answers on a TV show…with comedian Paul Lynde…and others

Q. Do female frogs croak?

A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. If you’re going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be?

A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. True or False, a pea can last as long as 5,000 years?

A. George Gobel: Boy, it sure seems that way sometimes.

Q. You’ve been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?

A. Don Knotts: That’s what’s been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmopolitan, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think that he is attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he’s married?

A.. Rose Marie: No, wait until morning.

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?

A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. What are ‘Do It,’ ‘I Can Help,’ and ‘I Can’t Get Enough’?

George Gobel: I don’t know, but it’s coming from the next apartment.

Q. As you grow older, do you tend to gesture more or less with your hands while talking?

A. Rose Marie: You ask me one more growing old question Peter, and I’ll give you a gesture you’ll never forget.

Q. Paul, why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?

A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you’ve just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year?

A. Charley Weaver: Of course not, I’m too busy growing strawberries.

Q. In bowling, what’s a perfect score?

A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?

A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I’m always safe in the bedroom.

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls?

A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?

A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?

A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark..

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?

A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do?

A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?

A. Charley Weaver: His feet.

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?

A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh.

Q. In the Bible, who is Naomi’s faithful companion?

A. Paul Lynde: Tonto.