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US markets closed sharply lower yesterday, with major indices erasing Wednesday's gains to hit two-week lows. In the absence of proper employment data (due to the government shutdown), jobs numbers from recruitment firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas surfaced, showing a bit of a hiring freeze in October.

In company news, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have struck deals with the Trump administration to cut prices on their blockbuster weight-loss drugs in return for tariff relief and expanded Medicare access. Elsewhere, Uber is in talks with Getir over a potential deal that could strengthen its delivery footprint in Turkey. Lastly, Moderna reported a smaller-than-expected third-quarter loss, signaling that its cost-cutting efforts are cushioning the hit from fading Covid vaccine demand.

In summary, the JSE All-share rose 1.20%, but the S&P 500 fell 1.12%, and the Nasdaq was 1.90% lower. That was rude.

US markets spent most of yesterday in rally mode before giving up some gains late in the session. A better-than-expected private payroll report from ADP and the prospect that the Supreme Court might overturn the Trump tariffs kept traders in an upbeat mood.

In company news, Google and cybersecurity firm Wiz moved closer to completing their $32 billion merger after the US government concluded its review of the deal. Elsewhere, second-string EV maker Rivian jumped 23.4% thanks to a sharp increase in revenue and new model announcements. Finally, Novo Nordisk cut its outlook for the fourth time this year as slowing sales of Wegovy and Ozempic weighed on performance. Eli Lilly is a much better option for GLP-1 investors.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 1.32%, the S&P 500 rose 0.37%, and the Nasdaq was 0.65% higher. A nice rebound from Tuesday's sell off.

US markets slipped into the red yesterday, as a selloff in heavyweight tech stocks dragged the Nasdaq down sharply. Riskier assets from equities to crypto came under pressure.

In company news, biotech giant Amgen rose 2% after it lifted its full-year sales and profit outlook. Elsewhere, Uber delivered impressive growth in rides and deliveries, but a softer adjusted earnings outlook and hefty legal charges weighed on sentiment. Its stock price ended down 5.5%. Lastly, Apple is gearing up to launch its first-ever budget Mac, a lower-cost laptop designed to compete directly with Chromebooks and entry-level Windows PCs.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed down 1.56%, the S&P 500 fell 1.17%, and the Nasdaq was 2.04% lower. Ouch man, that hurts.

US markets started the new month on a positive note with both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq edging higher. November is typically a good month for US stocks, with the S&P 500 rising 59% of the time since 1927, according to Bank of America.

In company news, Kenvue, a consumer health conglomerate spun off from Johnson & Johnson in 2023, surged 12.3% after Kimberly-Clark announced a $40 billion takeover, forming a group with assets ranging from Tylenol to Huggies. Elsewhere, Palantir shares fell 4% after-hours, following "the best results that any software company has ever delivered" (according to their nutty CEO). Finally, Microsoft announced yet another AI infrastructure deal, pledging to spend over $7.9 billion in the UAE.

On Monday, the JSE All-share closed down 0.15%, but the S&P 500 added 0.17%, and the Nasdaq moved another 0.46% higher. Let's go Santa.

US markets wrapped up a volatile month on a positive note Friday, as strong earnings reignited momentum in the bull market. It was a flat week for the S&P 500, but the Nasdaq rose a little.

In company news, Amazon ended Friday 9.8% higher after it posted pleasing growth in its AWS cloud division. Elsewhere, internet traffic management company Cloudflare was up 13.8% thanks to stronger demand from large enterprise clients. Finally, Netflix gained 2.7% after announcing a 10-for-1 stock split, which will lower the trading price and broaden access for retail investors.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed down 0.39%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.26%, and the Nasdaq was 0.61% higher. Up is better than down.

US markets slipped yesterday as "profit-taking" in big tech dragged major indexes lower. Meta tumbled 11% and Microsoft was down nearly 2.9% after investors fretted about their aggressive capital spending on massive data centres.

In company news, Eli Lilly lifted its full-year outlook due to booming sales of Mounjaro and Zepbound widened its lead over rivals, pushing its stock up a pleasing 3.8% Elsewhere in obesity news, Novo Nordisk has made an unsolicited bid for US biotech Metsera, setting off a bidding war with Pfizer. Finally, Amazon gave its naysayers a hiding after the bell, delivering astonishingly strong results and powering 13.2% higher in late trade.

Izolo, the JSE All-share closed down 0.64%, the S&P 500 fell 0.99%, and the Nasdaq was 1.57% lower. Oof.

US markets gyrated sharply yesterday after the Fed cut rates but signalled that a further reduction in December wasn't a foregone conclusion. The Nasdaq outperformed the S&P 500, thanks to Nvidia, which blasted past the $200 per share level, to become the first $5 trillion company ever.

In company news, Google jumped over 6% after-hours thanks to posting third-quarter results that beat the street, fuelled by strong AI-driven growth in its cloud business. Elsewhere, Meta shares fell more than 7% in late trade because of a $16 billion one-time US tax charge, tied to provisions in Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" act. Finally, Microsoft reported excellent Azure cloud numbers, but amped up capital spending to such an extent that the stock slipped 4%. We'll have more about those three in the days ahead.

When all was said and done, the JSE All-share closed up 0.50%, the S&P 500 was unchanged, and the Nasdaq was 0.55% higher. We live in exciting times.

US markets extended their record-setting run yesterday. Optimism about the AI revolution is keeping the bull market alive.

In company news, Nvidia surged 5% to close with a market cap just shy of $4.9 trillion after announcing a slate of new partnerships at its Washington conference. Elsewhere, UPS jumped 8% after lifting its annual outlook and announcing job cuts (that's a good combo). Lastly, Booking Holdings rose 4% in late trading as it beat expectations with strong third-quarter gross bookings, signalling resilient travel demand across its brands.

At the closing bell, the JSE All-share was 1.02% higher, the S&P 500 added 0.23%, and the Nasdaq advanced by a respectable 0.80%. How wonderful.

US stocks kicked off the week in an exuberant mood, extending last week's rally and closing at fresh record highs. Optimism over warming US-China trade relations, an expected Fed rate cut, and strong corporate earnings kept sentiment buoyant. What's not to like?

In company news, Lululemon Athletica is teaming up with the NFL and Fanatics to create a line of fan gear, marking the yoga-wear brand's latest move to stretch into new growth markets. Elsewhere, Johnson & Johnson faces a 17% surge in new cancer-related baby powder lawsuits after a US court rejected its latest bid to settle the claims through a partial bankruptcy trick. Lastly, Berkshire Hathaway got hit with a rare sell rating by an analyst at KBW, who noted earnings headwinds, Warren Buffett's exit, and broader macro risks.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed down 1.57%, but the S&P 500 rose 1.23%, and the Nasdaq was 1.86% higher. Wow, look at that.

US markets wrapped up the week on a high note, with strong earnings and cooling inflation data propelling both major indices to new records. The S&P 500 broke 6 800 for the first time with contributions broadening beyond AI favourites to include companies like Ford (+12.2%) and Albemarle (+8.6%).

In company news, Eli Lilly is expanding its gene therapy ambitions by acquiring Adverum Biotechnologies, a biotech developing treatments for blindness. Elsewhere, Porsche posted its first quarterly loss since listing, taking a $3.6 billion hit after trimming its EV plans and due to the impact US tariffs. Lastly, Ford shares jumped the most in over five years after saying that production of its best-selling F-150 pickup will rebound next year, recovering from a supplier fire that temporarily halted output.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed down 0.27%, but the S&P 500 rallied 0.79%, and the Nasdaq trotted 1.15% higher. Super!

US markets rallied after easing trade tensions pushed the S&P 500 near record highs. Presidents Trump and Xi will meet next week, whoopee. Energy stocks also climbed, seeing as Russian supply might soon be "out of bounds".

In company news, Super Micro Computer shares tumbled 8.7% as the AI server wannabe shocked investors with weak numbers. Elsewhere, Palantir rose 2.8% after announcing a partnership with Lumen Technologies to deploy its AI software. Finally, Las Vegas Sands jumped 12.4% thanks to a sterling quarter at its Singapore and Macau casinos.

Here's how it went, the JSE All-share closed up 1.75%, the S&P 500 rose 0.58%, and the Nasdaq was 0.89% higher. Great stuff!

US markets went backwards on Wednesday, after reports that the Trump administration may curb software exports to China in response to their rare earth export restrictions. This is a fight, and those are the weapons.

Russia is taking a well-deserved beating today, as the US announced sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, and Trump makes progress on squeezing their key crude oil customers, China and India, to go elsewhere. EU countries also reached an agreement on a new package of restrictions on Moscow that will be adopted today.

In company news, Tesla reported surging sales, but shares edged lower after profits disappointed. Elsewhere, Anthropic is inking a deal with Google for tens of billions of dollars in computing resources. Finally, Intuitive Surgical jumped 13.9% after the maker of surgical robots crushed Wall Street estimates last quarter.

Izolo, the JSE All-share closed down 0.06%, the S&P 500 fell 0.53%, and the Nasdaq was 0.93% lower. Oh well.

US markets drifted sideways yesterday, pausing after a strong two-day rally that left the S&P 500 and Nasdaq near record highs. The partial US government shutdown has left disturbing gaps in the usual economic calendar, and we are now flying blind.

In company news, General Motors surged nearly 15% to a record high, its best day in over five years, after the carmaker delivered surprisingly strong numbers. Elsewhere, Adidas lifted its full-year earnings forecast as demand for retro shoes like the Gazelle was red-hot. Also, L'Oreal's latest quarter underwhelmed, with softer US demand offsetting a modest recovery in China. Finally, Netflix sagged 6.5% after hours after a tax dispute in Brazil dented quarterly profits.

In short, the JSE All-share closed down 2.17%, the S&P 500 rose by an infinitesimal amount, and the Nasdaq was 0.16% lower. Nothing to write home about.

US markets kicked off a packed earnings week on a strong note, rebounding back toward record highs. A rally in Apple helped power major indices higher, with the tech giant jumping 3.9% to notch its first record close since December. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are edging back to within sight of their October peaks.

In company news, Amazon Web Services is grappling with lingering disruptions after a major outage hit key clients, from government agencies to AI firms and financial platforms. Elsewhere, Apple's newest iPhones are off to a flying start, with the base model leading the charge - and the iPhone Air models selling out in China within minutes of launch, signalling robust early demand for Cupertino's latest lineup.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed up 0.53%, the S&P 500 rose 1.07%, and the Nasdaq was 1.37% higher. Splendid!

Wall Street wrapped up a shaky week on a high note thanks to some backtracking on China by President Trump and a rebound in regional banks. The S&P 500 ended up 0.19% higher for the week, which is better than nothing.

In company news, Oracle shares slipped 6.9% as investors continue to question how it will finance a massive push into AI infrastructure. Elsewhere, American Express topped earnings forecasts this quarter and reported a surge in sign-ups for its flagship Platinum card. Lastly, Shares of Novo Nordisk (-3%) and Eli Lilly (-2%) slid after King Donald said the "fat shot" (he was referring to Ozempic) should sell for $150 after discounts. He's just another politician currying favour with drug customers, instead of praising the brave capitalists who develop these valuable products. What a shame.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed down 2.02%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.53%, and the Nasdaq was 0.52% higher. A pleasing finish.