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US markets closed higher on Friday, with the S&P 500 enjoying its sixth consecutive weekly gain. Strong corporate earnings and encouraging signs of economic strength provided a boost. Netflix surged 11.1% after delivering solid earnings, while Apple rose 1.2%, helped by a surge in sales of its latest iPhones in China.

In company news, Procter & Gamble has reported another slow quarter for sales growth, with only modest price increases and softness in segments like skin and baby care. Intuitive Surgical rose to a new all-time high, climbing 10.0% on strong sales of its da Vinci surgical robot.

On Friday, the JSE All-share was up 0.72%, the S&P 500 rose 0.40%, and the Nasdaq was 0.63% higher.

US markets were mostly flat yesterday, losing steam towards the close after the S&P 500 briefly reached new all-time highs in the morning. Semiconductor stocks gained thanks to a positive earnings announcement from chip manufacturer TSMC.

In company news, Netflix shares are up 5% in pre-market trading after the company exceeded Wall Street's expectations, adding over 5 million new subscribers in the third quarter and outperforming most of their financial targets. Elsewhere, Expedia rose 4.8% after a report by the Financial Times that Uber had explored an acquisition of the travel site. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi used to run Expedia so he knows what's under the hood. Uber shares sank 2.5%. For reference purposes, Expedia is worth about $20 billion and Uber is worth $170 billion.

In summary, the JSE All-share was up 0.22%, the S&P 500 dropped a tiny 0.02%, and the Nasdaq was just 0.04% higher. Yeah, sideways.

US markets edged higher yesterday, with small-cap stocks outperforming as the Russell 2000 reached its highest point in nearly three years. Most of the big tech "Magnificent 7" stocks were steady, although Nvidia bounced back 3.1% after the previous day's ASML-induced selloff. Financial stocks extended their rally, with strong gains from Visa (+3.0%), Citigroup (+2.6%), and Mastercard (+1.4%).

In company news, Morgan Stanley saw a 6.5% jump in its stock price after reporting better-than-expected revenue, thanks to a strong 32% profit increase for the third quarter. Elsewhere, Qualcomm is expected to hold off on making any moves toward a potential acquisition of Intel until after the US presidential election in November. Both Intel and Qualcomm fell 1.5% on the news.

Izolo, the JSE All-share was up 0.52%, the S&P 500 rose 0.47%, and the Nasdaq was 0.28% higher.

US markets were under pressure yesterday. The main reason was that ASML, Europe's top tech company that makes cutting-edge chipmaking machines, put out a gloomy forecast. Analysts also noted that the US plans to further limit sales of advanced AI chips to certain countries. This fuelled a selloff in the semiconductor sector, with market-leader Nvidia down 4.5%.

In company news, Goldman Sachs was originally up over 3%, but closed flat, after reporting a 45% surge in third-quarter profit, thanks to a surprise boost in equity trading and a strong rebound in its investment banking division. Elsewhere, oil stocks fell on news of Israel's targeting of Iranian military assets rather than crude production facilities. Exxon Mobil ended 3.0% lower and Chevron dropped 2.7%. As we like to say in South Africa, shame.

In summary, the JSE All-share was down 0.52%, the S&P 500 fell 0.76%, and the Nasdaq was 1.01% lower.

US markets climbed on Monday, with the S&P 500 setting another record high. This is getting a bit repetitive, but we love it. The Nasdaq 100 also posted strong gains. Nvidia (+2.4%) led the rise among megacaps, while Apple (+1.7%) benefited from a positive analyst outlook. Tesla bounced back after Friday's drop.

In company news, Adobe shares rose 2.9% after the company introduced new AI tools designed to create and edit videos. Elsewhere, Amgen's stock slipped 1.1% after Truist Securities downgraded it to a hold, suggesting that sales of a forthcoming obesity drug are already factored into the current stock price.

At the close, the JSE All-share was up 0.29%, the S&P 500 rose 0.77%, and the Nasdaq was 0.87% higher.

US markets started earnings season on a high note, with stocks hitting record levels as major banks posted strong results. The S&P 500 reached its 45th record high close of 2024. JPMorgan rose 4.4% after reporting a surprise increase in net income, while Wells Fargo jumped 5.6%, forecasting a smaller-than-expected drop in theirs.

In company news, Tesla fell 8.8% after the EV-maker unveiled its self-driving robotaxi at a flashy event that was light on specifics. Elsewhere, Toronto-Dominion Bank dropped 4.0% on Friday, extending its two-day decline to nearly 10%. This follows the bank's $3.1 billion fine and restrictions placed on its US retail banking assets after it was found to have allowed money launderers to operate accounts.

On Friday, the JSE All-share was up a solid 0.89%, the S&P 500 rose a respectable 0.61%, and the Nasdaq was 0.33% higher.

US markets took a breather yesterday after inflation came in slightly higher than expected, coupled with signs of a cooling labour market. From the Fed's perspective, these data points are contradictory. This has fuelled the ongoing debate about whether the Fed will go for a smaller rate cut next month, or pause altogether, after the significant cut in September.

In company news, Berkshire Hathaway sold $1.89 billion worth of multi-tranche samurai bonds yesterday, sparking speculation that Warren Buffett may be gearing up to increase his investments in Japanese assets. Elsewhere, Delta Air Lines has projected lower-than-expected profit and sales for the year's final months, pointing to a slower rebound after a rough Northern Hemisphere travel season.

Yesterday, the JSE All-share was up a tiny 0.07%, the S&P 500 fell 0.21%, and the Nasdaq was 0.05% lower.

US markets finished higher yesterday thanks to a strong showing from tech stocks. The S&P 500 reached its 44th record for 2024. Apple rose 1.7%, Broadcom gained 2.9% and Amazon climbed 1.3%. The only sector that struggled was utilities.

In company news, DocuSign shares have climbed more than 11% over the last five trading days following the news that it will join the S&P Midcap 400 Index tomorrow. Elsewhere, Tesla had a record-breaking quarter for China shipments, with deliveries from its Shanghai factory increasing for the third straight month, surpassing those of rival BYD.

Izolo, the JSE All-share was down 0.18%, the S&P 500 rose 0.71%, and the Nasdaq was 0.60% higher.

US markets bounced back yesterday, with big tech stocks making pleasing gains. Chipmakers led the charge again, and Nvidia has been up for five days in a row, for an overall increase of 14%. Elsewhere, in the less-exciting "smokestack industries", energy stocks fell due to a drop in oil prices.

In company news, The US Justice Department is back with its absurd suggestion that Google sell off parts of its business to reduce its dominance in the online search market. Google's share price did not budge on the news. Elsewhere, Honeywell rose 2% after announcing plans to spin off its advanced materials division. Lastly, Roblox initially fell 9%, but recovered to only close down 2%, following a statement from feared short sellers, Hindenburg Research, that they are shorting the gaming platform.

In summary, the JSE All-share was down 0.95%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.97%, and the Nasdaq marched 1.45% higher. Nice!

US markets ended lower yesterday, for no particular reason. There are always things to worry about, like geopolitical tensions and stubbornly high interest rates, and some days sellers outnumber buyers.

The "Magnificent Seven" group of stocks were down 1.9%, even though Nvidia gained 2.2%. Google sank 2.4% after more trouble from lawsuits. Amazon slid 3.1% on a downgrade from Wells Fargo Securities, and Apple dropped 2.3% after a Jefferies analyst grumbled about expectations for new iPhone sales this season.

In other company news, Generac rose 8.5% due to huge demand for backup power systems in southern states that are being pummelled by hurricanes. Garmin fell 4.1% after a downgrade from Morgan Stanley analysts, who think the athletic device maker's sales will shrink in the coming quarters.

At the end of the day, the JSE All-share was down a tiny 0.03%, the S&P 500 fell 0.96%, and the Nasdaq was 1.18% lower. Disappointing.

US markets ended in positive territory on Friday, with all three major indices closing higher. This was fueled by a stronger-than-expected September labour market report, showing 254 000 new jobs added and a slight drop in unemployment. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq posted weekly gains.

In company news, Rio Tinto is said to be in discussions to acquire lithium miner Arcadium Lithium. If the deal goes through, it would position Rio as the third-largest lithium producer for EV batteries. Elsewhere, Nintendo shares climbed as much as 4.2% after a senior executive from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund mentioned that they are considering increasing their stakes in Japanese gaming companies.

On Friday, the JSE All-share was down 0.15%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.90%, and the Nasdaq was 1.22% higher. We remain in all-time high territory.

US markets ended slightly lower last night, after a choppy session. Oil prices remained volatile after their biggest one-day surge in nearly a year, on fears of damage to export facilities in the Persian Gulf. Most sectors of the S&P 500 were in the red but a few big cap tech stocks bucked the overall trend.

In company news, Nvidia gained 3.3% after CEO Jensen Huang said in an interview that demand for the company's new Blackwell chips is "insane". Tesla fell 3.6% after announcing a recall of over 27 000 Cybertrucks due to issues with their rearview camera. Finally, Spirit Airlines has been in talks about bankruptcy after its merger with JetBlue Airways fell through.

At the end of the day, the JSE All-share was down 0.75%, the S&P 500 fell 0.17%, and the Nasdaq was 0.04% lower. NBD.

US markets edged higher yesterday, while treasuries fell and the US dollar gained strength after some stronger-than-expected jobs data. Semiconductor stocks, including Broadcom (+1.9%) and Nvidia (+1.6%), performed well.

US companies hired more than expected last month, which contradicts other signs of a cooling labour market. All eyes are now on Friday's nonfarm payrolls report for more clues on the state of the economy. Fed officials will be watching closely too.

In company news, Tesla dropped 3.5% after missing third-quarter delivery expectations, with challenges stemming from fewer subsidies in Europe, increased competition, and rising consumer interest in hybrids over EVs. On the other hand, Salesforce gained 3.2% after Northland Capital Markets upgraded the stock to "outperform" and raised its price target to $400 from $270.

Izolo, the JSE All-share was up 0.57%, the S&P 500 delivered a marginal 0.01% gain, and the Nasdaq was 0.08% higher. Those are some tiny moves, lol.

US markets ended lower yesterday as the war in the Middle East worsened. Iran launched about 180 missiles at Israel, some of which evaded their defence systems, and a response is expected. Bonds, oil, gold, and the US dollar all gained. The tech sector had the toughest day, with Apple and Nvidia both dropping around 3%.

In company news, Nike fell 5.9% in after-hours trading following a revenue miss for the quarter, even though they smashed profit estimates. A new CEO is at the helm, and they are in recovery mode. Elsewhere, Kering (owner of Gucci) dropped 2.9% after Goldman Sachs downgraded it to "sell," which pulled down much of the luxury sector along with it.

In summary, the JSE All-share eked out a 0.08% gain, but the S&P 500 sagged by 0.93%, and the Nasdaq tumbled 1.53%.

US markets closed slightly higher yesterday, rallying in the final minutes of the day despite some wishy-washy comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. He reiterated that the US economy is in good shape, and that rate reductions will happen gradually, whatever that means.

The S&P 500 wrapped up its fourth straight quarter of gains, the longest run since 2021, with the Nasdaq 100 also on a similar winning streak.

In company news, DirecTV is set to buy Dish for $1, and take on approximately $9.75 billion of Dish's debt. This deal will create the largest US pay-TV provider. Interestingly, the same transaction was blocked back in 2002, but the TV landscape is significantly different 22 years later. Elsewhere, crypto-related stocks took a beating after Bitcoin's latest rally fizzled out. Coinbase fell 6.8%, while MicroStrategy lost 4.3%.

At the close, the JSE All-share was down 1.18%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.42%, and the Nasdaq was 0.38% higher.