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US markets finished higher yesterday, with big tech stocks doing the heavy lifting. Thanks to that favourable court outcome, Google jumped 9% and Apple climbed 3.8%. Not everything sparkled though: oil prices slipped on chatter that OPEC and allies may raise output again, sending energy shares down 2.3% to the bottom of the S&P 500's sector rankings.

In company news, ServiceNow is dangling discounts of up to 70% for federal agencies in the hope of speeding up AI adoption across government departments. Elsewhere, Pfizer felt the need to step in and defend its Covid-19 vaccine research after President Trump suggested on social media that drugmakers might be "sitting on information". Finally, NuScale Power jumped 8.5% on news of a deal to develop several modular nuclear reactors for the Tennessee Valley Authority.

At the close, the JSE All-share was up 0.34%, the S&P 500 rose 0.51%, and the Nasdaq was a full 1.02% higher. Nice one!

US markets started the new month on a negative note, but the S&P 500 recovered a bit as the afternoon wore on. We remain close to record highs, but there are some jitters about slowing economic growth, tariff uncertainty, a weakening jobs market and President Trump's bullying of the Federal Reserve.

In company news, Google shares rose 7.1% after hours, when a US judge ruled that they won't be forced to sell their Chrome browser, or terminate the sweetheart deal to be the default search app on Apple iPhones. Elsewhere, McDonald's said it would bring back its Extra Value Meals, and shares rose 1.3% on the news.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.72%, the S&P 500 fell 0.69%, and the Nasdaq was 0.89% lower. Sloppy.

Yesterday was a quiet one on global markets, as the US was out of action for the Labor Day holiday. Equity futures are edging higher this morning, as traders trickle back to work after their summer break.

In company news, OpenAI is looking to plant a big flag in Asia, with plans for a massive new data centre in India. In Italy, Banca Monte dei Paschi is pressing on with its takeover push for Mediobanca, launching a EUR15.5 billion all-share bid that aims to secure a controlling 51% stake. Finally, Nestle has fired its CEO over an affair with a senior colleague. Chocolates weren't the only temptation in the office it seems; what a crazy way to end a corporate career. The head of its Nespresso unit will take over.

After a dull day, the JSE All-share closed up 0.06%. That's it.

US markets had a tough day on Friday, ending deep in the red. The late-week sell off couldn't spoil August's gains, with the S&P 500 up 1.9% for the month after hitting five new intra-month records. That was the fourth straight monthly advance, which is pleasing.

In company news, heavy machinery maker Caterpillar fell 3.7% after moaning that tariffs will cost them up to $1.8 billion this year. Elsewhere, Celsius rose 5.3% after PepsiCo said it is increasing its stake in the energy drink maker. Finally, Super Micro Computer dropped 5.5% as it warned of weaknesses in its financial reporting controls, saying unresolved issues could affect its ability to deliver results accurately and on time. Stay away from that turd.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed down a tiny 0.02%, the S&P 500 fell 0.64%, and the Nasdaq was 1.15% lower. Sad and disappointing.

US markets extended their rally yesterday with the S&P 500 closing above 6 500 points for the first time. Revised GDP data showed the US economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter, expanding at an annualised rate of 3.3%. The rally would probably have been even more impressive if it were not for concerns about inflation. There will be a fresh read on that out today.

In company news, Dell dropped 5.3% after-hours despite good numbers on solid AI server demand. Elsewhere, cloud-based data storage company Snowflake jumped 23% after reporting predictably strong sales momentum. Finally, bowling chain operator Lucky Strike Entertainment got clattered (down 1.5%) after a weak business update.

Izolo, the JSE All-share closed down 0.14%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.32%, and the Nasdaq was 0.53% higher. More records, very nice!

US markets traded well again yesterday. The S&P 500 logged its 19th record high close of 2025 and extended gains to over 10% year-to-date. Large-cap stocks were muted, but global politics remained messy, with governments misbehaving or falling apart in the USA, France and the Netherlands. It never ends.

In company news, Nvidia reported strong second quarter results after the closing bell, and noted good progress on its next chip update called Rubin. They also unveiled a $60 billion buyback, but shares slipped 3.1% on a slightly muted sales forecast and confusion about its business in China. Elsewhere, CrowdStrike fell 4.2% in late trading after forecasting sales slightly below estimates as it works to move past last year's costly global outage.

At the end of the day, the JSE All-share closed down 0.42%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.24%, and the Nasdaq was 0.21% higher. That's acceptable.

US markets stepped up yesterday, with both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 ending solidly in the green. It's interesting to note that we enjoyed a calm session despite widespread dismay at President Trump's attempt to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook. These officials are supposed to have long tenures and protection from removal.

In company news, Eli Lilly climbed 5.9% after reporting a second set of trial results for its obesity pill called (for now) Orforglipron. It helped patients shed up to 9.6% of their body weight, and is now on the verge of FDA approval. Elsewhere, Apple set 9 September for its big event, where it's expected to unveil the iPhone 17 lineup, including a slimmer version of its flagship device.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.53%, but the S&P 500 marched 0.41% higher, and the Nasdaq followed suit with a 0.44% gain. Splendid.

US stocks dipped just before the close on Monday, giving back some of Friday's Jackson Hole-inspired gains. Futures are now pricing in an 85% chance of a Fed rate cut next month, up from 73% before Powell's remarks. We shall see what happens. Amongst our favourite stocks, Nvidia, Google, and Tesla moved higher. Eli Lilly went backwards.

In company news, Elon Musk has filed a lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, claiming they are giving unfair preference to OpenAI's chatbot on iPhones and squeezing out rivals. Meanwhile, Keurig Dr Pepper is buying JDE Peet's, the owner of Peet's Coffee, in an $18 billion deal, with plans to later spin off its coffee business into a standalone listed company. Finally, railroad operators sank after Warren Buffett said Berkshire Hathaway won't buy another one.

At the close, the JSE All-share was 0.25% higher, the S&P 500 dropped by 0.43%, and the Nasdaq sagged by 0.22%. Just another day.

US markets roared higher on Friday, overcoming a string of small losses earlier in the week. Investors were heartened by a speech from Fed Chair Jerome Powell at his Jackson Hole symposium, where he hinted that the central bank may not wait for inflation to return fully to target before cutting rates. The S&P 500 had its best session since May, with gains across the board. Mega-cap tech stocks rallied, small-cap shares leapt about 4%, and banks notched fresh record highs.

In company news, Apple is reportedly in early talks to integrate Google's Gemini AI into a revamped version of its Siri voice assistant. Elsewhere, Nvidia has asked suppliers including Samsung Electronics and Amkor Technology to halt production linked to its H20 AI chip (all because Howard Lutnick is an idiot). Lastly, Meta Platforms struck a deal worth at least $10 billion with Google to use its cloud computing services.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed up 0.96%, the S&P 500 rose 1.52%, and the Nasdaq was 1.88% higher. What a lovely end to the week.

US equities edged lower again yesterday as traders stayed cautious ahead of Fed Chair Jerome Powell's speech at Jackson Hole. The S&P 500 notched its fifth straight decline, which sounds rough, but it has actually only lost 1.5% over that stretch. Markets will be watching closely today for any policy cues that could reignite momentum.

In company news, Walmart fell 4.5% after the retail giant missed profit expectations. Elsewhere, Boeing shares found support on reports that the company is moving closer to sealing a deal with China for up to 500 aircraft. Lastly, US car safety regulators are investigating Tesla over delays in reporting crashes tied to its driver-assistance technology.


At the closing bell, the JSE All-share closed up 0.69%, the S&P 500 fell 0.40%, and the Nasdaq was 0.34% lower.

US stocks staged a decent comeback yesterday after an ugly open. The major indices clawed back from their lows, but the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq still ended fractionally in the red. No panic here, the Nasdaq is up 9.6% year-to-date with 20 record closes in 2025, while the S&P 500 is up 9%. A two-day breather feels more like stretching than stumbling.

In company news, Google rolled out a fresh lineup of consumer gadgets - new phones, a watch, and earbuds, which are all designed to flex its AI muscles. Elsewhere, beauty giant Estee Lauder slipped 3.7% after cutting its profit outlook for the year, citing tariff costs as an extra drag.

Here's how the markets fared, the JSE All-share closed down 0.14%, the S&P 500 fell 0.24%, and the Nasdaq was 0.67% lower.

Wall Street ended lower yesterday, dragged down by a cool-off in tech. The S&P 500 slipped despite most of its 11 sectors finishing higher, while the Nasdaq shed 1.4%, its second-steepest drop since April's tariff shock. Palantir (-9.4%), AMD (-5.4%) and Nvidia (-3.5%) led the selloff among this year's megacap winners. Defensives were the bright spot, with real estate, utilities, and consumer staples holding up.

In company news, Home Depot gained 3.2% after posting solid results and softening its stance on tariffs, noting only modest price hikes are now expected. Intel surged 7% on reports that the US government is finalising plans to take a 10% stake. Softbank is also interested in buying up more Intel shares it seems. Lastly, Apple is scaling up iPhone production in India, now spanning five factories, including two newly opened sites.


In short, the JSE All-share closed up a tiny 0.05%, the S&P 500 was down 0.59%, and the Nasdaq was 1.46% lower. Meh.

US markets hovered between modest gains and losses yesterday, with the S&P 500 ending flat while the Nasdaq managed to edge slightly higher.

It's a big week for monetary policy watchers as the Fed's annual Jackson Hole symposium begins Thursday. All eyes will be on Jerome Powell's Friday speech, where he's expected to unveil the Fed's new policy framework, outlining how they plan to balance inflation and employment goals.

In company news, Palo Alto Networks gained 4.9% after-hours thanks to an upbeat annual revenue forecast, with plans to roll out bundled AI-driven cybersecurity tools to help clients defend against rising digital threats. Elsewhere, Novo Nordisk is cutting the out-of-pocket cost of its diabetes drug Ozempic for US patients, addressing criticism of high drug prices. At the same time, its weight-loss blockbuster Wegovy has secured US approval to treat a severe form of liver disease.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed down 0.79%, the S&P 500 was unchanged, and the Nasdaq was 0.03% higher.

US stocks slipped into the red on Friday, as small early gains fizzled in the afternoon. Still, it was a good week and the rally is broadening beyond the tech giants that have carried the S&P 500 in recent years. It's been a tumultuous year so far, but investors are confident that corporate earnings will remain robust.

In company news, green energy shares rallied, with SunRun up 32.8%, First Solar up 11.1%, and Enphase up 8.1%, after the Trump administration issued updated rules on tax credit eligibility, which turned out to be more generous than anticipated. Elsewhere, British multinational bank Standard Chartered sank 7.2% on news that the US Attorney General will investigate them for evading sanctions.

On a disappointing Friday, the JSE All-share closed down 0.04%, the S&P 500 fell 0.29%, and the Nasdaq was 0.40% lower.

US markets ended Thursday little changed, after a nasty rise in factory-gate inflation muddied the interest rate outlook. Even so, CME Group's FedWatch Tool still prices in a 92.6% chance of a quarter-point Fed rate cut next month. Amongst the big-caps (our favourite part of the market), Amazon, Eli Lilly and Netflix stood out.

In company news, Applied Materials, the maker of chipmaking equipment, tumbled 14% in after-hours trade after issuing a downbeat sales and profit outlook. Meanwhile, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a new stake in UnitedHealth in Q2, sending the depressed health insurer's shares surging 10.7% post-market. The old man probably signed off on the deal, even though he's in the process of stepping down.

Izolo, the JSE All-share closed down 0.28%, the S&P 500 rose a tiny 0.03%, and the Nasdaq was dead flat.