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US markets bounced back in style after Friday's slump, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq logging their biggest gains since May. The rebound came as President Trump and his team struck a softer tone on China, easing fears of a fresh trade war. Trump said on Truth Social that "it will all be fine", while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted the threatened tariff hike may never materialise, enough reassurance to send traders back into risk-on mode.

In company news, Amazon plans to hire 250 000 seasonal workers for the holidays, matching last year's intake and standing out as one of the few big employers still adding staff in a cooling labour market. Elsewhere, OpenAI has struck a multi-year deal with Broadcom to co-develop custom chips and networking gear, another move to boost its computing firepower as demand for AI infrastructure continues to explode.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 0.91%, the S&P 500 rose 1.56%, and the Nasdaq was 2.21% higher. That's more like it!

The market's winning streak hit a wall on Friday. President Trump rattled markets with a Truth Social post threatening fresh tariffs on China and a possible cancellation of his meeting with President Xi. The sharp selloff wiped out the week's gains for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, a reminder that geopolitics still has the power to spoil an otherwise steady rally.

In company news, Tesla's Shanghai factory saw shipments rise in September as China's car market entered its busy season. Elsewhere, Google has become the first company in the UK to be designated "strategic market status", a new designation that puts its search and advertising empire under tighter scrutiny from regulators.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed down 0.20%, the S&P 500 fell 2.71%, and the Nasdaq was 3.56% lower. Ouch!

US markets ended modestly lower yesterday, despite the fact that the top dog, Nvidia, was up 1.8%. Yesterday marked six months since the S&P 500 plunged to a tariff-inspired "Liberation Day" low. It has gained over 35% since April 8, one of its best six-month moves in history. Go figure.

We aren't commodity traders, but for the record, oil fell over 1% yesterday after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a peace deal, and gold and silver eased following their recent rallies.

In more interesting company news, Novo Nordisk will acquire Akero Therapeutics for up to $5.2 billion, expanding its pipeline into liver disease treatments linked to obesity. Elsewhere, PepsiCo rose by 4.2% after the snack and beverage giant beat earnings estimates and said Lay's chips would get a design upgrade. Finally, Ferrari skidded off the tracks, screeching 14.9% lower after disappointing earnings guidance.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.66%, the S&P 500 settled back by 0.28%, and the Nasdaq ended just 0.08% lower. An interesting session.

US markets bounced back yesterday, with dip buyers pushing the Nasdaq and S&P 500 to fresh record highs. The rebound erased Tuesday's losses, proving once again that most minor pullbacks are just buying opportunities.

In company news, Cisco unveiled a new chip and networking system designed to link AI data centres over vast distances, ramping up its rivalry with Broadcom. Elsewhere, Google is fighting a US government proposal to block it from bundling its Maps and YouTube apps with its Gemini AI service. Finally, Viasat rose 13.9% after revealing a contract to supply satellite services to the US Space Force.

At the closing bell, the JSE All-share was up 1.39%, the S&P 500 climbed by 0.58%, and the Nasdaq posted another 1.12% gain. Hooray!

US markets took a breather yesterday, as the Nasdaq and S&P 500 eased off record highs from the previous session. Tech stocks led the pullback after reports suggested Oracle's cloud margins are thinner than expected, sending the stock down 2.5%. Gold broke above $4,000 per ounce for the first time.

In company news, IBM plans to integrate Anthropic's AI technology into its software products, expanding its push into enterprise artificial intelligence. Elsewhere, Dell doubled its sales and profit growth forecasts for the next two years, saying booming AI demand will sustain momentum through 2030. Lastly, Salesforce said it won't pay a ransom to a hacker claiming to have stolen client data, after threats to publish the information online.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.43%, the S&P 500 gave up 0.38%, and the Nasdaq slumped by 0.67%. Ah, damn.

US markets kicked off the week on a strong note. Chipmakers rallied, driving the Nasdaq and S&P 500 to fresh record highs. The S&P 500 notched its seventh straight gain, its longest winning streak since May, as this bull market approaches the three-year mark with its momentum still intact.

In company news, AMD surged 23.7% after announcing a multibillion-dollar partnership with OpenAI to build AI data centres powered by its processors. Elsewhere, Comerica jumped 13.7% after Fifth Third Bancorp proposed an all-stock deal to acquire the lender. Finally, Boeing rose 1.6% on reports that the company aims to churn out up to 42 new 737 MAX jets per month.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed up 0.13%, the S&P 500 rose 0.36%, and the Nasdaq ended 0.71% higher. Wow, look at that.

Wall Street's record-setting rally took a breather on Friday as tech stocks paused for air and geopolitical jitters returned. The Nasdaq slipped, weighed down by weakness in AI stocks like Palantir, which closed down 7.5%, while the S&P 500 managed to hold its longest winning streak since July. The US government shutdown stretched into a third day.

In company news, Applied Materials fell 2.7% after warning of a $600 million hit to its 2026 revenue. Elsewhere, Plug Power rose 34.3% because it won a contract to deliver a new electrolyser array to a company in Portugal. Huh?

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed up 1.56%, the S&P 500 rose a tiny 0.01%, but the Nasdaq was 0.28% lower. Ok.

Wall Street advanced modestly yesterday, notching a fifth straight day of gains. Large-cap tech stocks lifted both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 to their 30th record close of the year, even as the US government shutdown dragged into a second day.

In company news, Berkshire Hathaway agreed to buy Occidental Petroleum's petrochemicals arm for $9.7 billion in cash. This may be the last deal that Warren Buffett is actively involved in. Fair Isaac, the company which creates FICO credit scores, rose 17.6% after saying it would sell them directly to mortgage lenders and resellers. Finally, Tesla fell 5.1% despite recording good quarterly vehicle sales, the last before government EV subsidies fall away.

Izolo, the JSE All-share closed down 0.52%, the S&P 500 rose by a mere 0.06%, and the Nasdaq was 0.39% higher. We'll take it.

US markets opened lower on shutdown worries yesterday, but managed to end modestly higher. Pharmaceutical shares led the rebound on tariff relief, and gold continued its record-breaking run, touching $3 900 an ounce. The S&P 500 hit its 29th record of the year while the tech-heavy Nasdaq finished just shy of its all-time high.

The weekly ADP report disappointed, showing a loss of 32 000 private-sector jobs versus expectations for gains. The shutdown of US government departments now threatens to delay key Fed data, including Friday's jobs report and October's CPI. They will probably just cut rates anyway, why not.

In company news, Pfizer jumped 6.8% after winning a three-year exemption from White House tariffs, tied to boosting local manufacturing and joining the so-called "TrumpRx" site. The news sparked hopes that peers could cut similar deals, sending Merck up 7.4% and Eli Lilly up 8.2%. Elsewhere, Reddit sank 11.9% on reports that ChatGPT has fully ransacked their library of content, and there's nothing more to scrape.

Here's the lowdown, the JSE All-share closed up 0.66%, the S&P 500 rose another 0.41%, and the Nasdaq was 0.30% higher. First class!

US markets swung back and forth yesterday, before a late rally pushed the major indices into positive territory. The S&P 500 enjoyed its best September in 15 years (historically the worst month of the year for stocks). Nvidia rose 2.6% to a new record, sending its market cap past $4.5 trillion.

In company news, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek is stepping down after nearly 20 years, handing the reins to two longtime lieutenants. Elsewhere, CoreWeave closed up 11.7% after it signed a deal to provide Meta with up to $14.2 billion in computing power to help train its AI models. Lastly, Nike is up 4.5% in after-hours trade thanks to a good set of quarterly numbers.

At the end of another Tuesday, the JSE All-share closed up 0.65%, the S&P 500 rose 0.26%, and the Nasdaq was 0.48% higher. Satisfactory, indeed.

US markets edged higher yesterday. Both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 were up, though gains were capped by government shutdown worries and caution ahead of key jobs data. Nvidia (+2.1%), Uber (+1.1%), and Amazon (+1.1%) were some of the large-cap standout performers.

In company news, New York-based financial services company Jefferies reported record third-quarter revenues. Elsewhere, Google will pay $24.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump after he was banned on YouTube following the 6 January Capitol riot. Lastly, Boeing is reportedly planning a new single-aisle jet to succeed the 737 MAX. It might be called the 797, but that's not clear.

In short, the JSE All-share closed up 0.51%, the S&P 500 added 0.26%, and the Nasdaq crept 0.48% higher. A good day.

US markets moved higher on Friday after a sluggish start to the session. The major indexes all turned positive as the day went on, snapping a three-day losing streak. Solid inflation numbers earlier in the day offset some wild tariff proposals from the White House.

In company-specific news, Intel rose 4.4% and GlobalFoundries over 8% after rumours that the US hopes to reduce reliance on foreign-made chips. Elsewhere, video game company EA jumped by 14.9% because it's close to a $50 billion deal to go private. Finally, legendary retailer Costco Wholesale beat earnings expectations, but shares lost 2.9% because of slowing same-store sales.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed up 0.85%, the S&P 500 rose 0.59%, and the Nasdaq was 0.44% higher. Pleasing.

US markets logged their third straight day of declines, despite the release of some good economic data. Second quarter US GDP was revised up to 3.8% from the expected 3.3% and weekly jobless claims eased. Big movers on the day included Oracle, which fell 5.6% after completing some bond sales for its AI push, and second-hand motor dealership CarMax which plunged 20.1%.

In company news, Microsoft restricted some software use by the Israeli military after reports that its products were linked to civilian surveillance. Elsewhere, Starbucks will shut around 1% of its stores and cut 900 jobs as part of a $1 billion restructuring plan under new CEO Brian Niccol. Lastly, Amazon will pay $2.5 billion in penalties and refunds and simplify Prime cancellations to settle an FTC lawsuit.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed down 0.83%, the S&P 500 fell 0.50%, and the Nasdaq was also 0.50% lower. Boo hoo!

US markets lost steam yesterday, with stocks sliding through the session. President Trump's astonishing shift on Ukraine was well received by Europe's defense contractors. In other global news, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he's ready to extend a $20 billion swap line to Argentina, and to purchase their foreign bonds.

In company news, Tesla jumped 4%, extending its month-long rally to nearly 28% as Elon Musk vowed to take a more hands-on role. Elsewhere, Microsoft is adding Anthropic models to its workplace AI assistant, expanding beyond its reliance on OpenAI. Lastly, L'Oreal is weighing an investment in Giorgio Armani's empire, but is said to only be interested in the profitable beauty arm.

On Tuesday, the JSE All-share closed up 0.69%, and yesterday the S&P 500 fell 0.28%, and the Nasdaq was 0.33% lower. This is fine.

US markets moved steadily higher through the trading session yesterday, closing at fresh record levels. The Nasdaq led gains with Apple (+4.3%), Nvidia (+3.9%), and Tesla (+1.9%) showing the way.

In company news, Pfizer will buy obesity startup Metsera for $4.9 billion as it scrambles to catch up with rivals in the weight-loss drug race. Elsewhere, Walmart will begin home delivery of refrigerated prescriptions. Finally, Porsche slowed by 3.9% on the news that it will delay the rollout of new EV models.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed down 0.14%, the S&P 500 rose 0.44%, and the Nasdaq was 0.70% higher. These are good times.