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US markets set a new record every day last week. The words of an iconic South African TV advert come to mind, 'not too shabby hey Nige'. The big news over the weekend was that the US and EU have agreed to a one-sided trade deal, setting export tariffs at 15%, which one commentator called "less worse than expected", so markets look set to rise further today.

In company news, Deckers Outdoor (Uggs and Hoka shoes) soared 11% on better-than-expected numbers. In the same industry, Puma plummeted 15.7% after warning of weak demand and the threat of tariffs. Finally, Intel fell 8.5% because they are laying off 15% of their workforce and scaling back chip foundry plans.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 1.05%, but the S&P 500 rose by 0.40%, and the Nasdaq ended 0.24% higher. That was a great week.

It was close, but the S&P 500 and Nasdaq eked out another record high last night. In case you were wondering, the old Dow Jones index hasn't hit a record since December, showing how it is largely irrelevant these days. The Dow only contains 30 companies, which was helpful back in the day when calculations were done by hand. The downside of the small list is that a poor performance from just one stock can have an outsized impact. In this case, UnitedHealth was down 5% yesterday and 45% for the year.

In company news, struggling medical syringe maker West Pharmaceutical Services bounced back by 23% due to strong demand for their GLP-1 delivery systems, highlighting the growing adoption of this new class of weight-loss drugs. Elsewhere, IBM fell 7.6%, even after posting market-beating revenue and profit numbers, because of an underwhelming sales forecast for the rest of the year.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.21%, the S&P 500 rose by 0.07%, and the Nasdaq ended 0.18% higher. A gain is a gain, it still counts.

US markets rose again yesterday, with the S&P 500 hitting its 12th all-time high for the year. Trading got off to a good start on news of a US trade deal with Japan, and maintained its momentum on reports that the US and EU are close to a deal, setting a 15% tariff on most goods. The Nasdaq Composite also made history, closing above the 21 000 mark for the first time.

In company news, elevator manufacturer Otis Worldwide is going down (-12.4%) after weak earnings. Elsewhere, Google is up 1.8% after hours following pleasing second-quarter results that included a surge in revenue from their cloud hosting division and a big hike in future capital spending. Elsewhere, Tesla fell 4.4% overnight after reporting a 16% drop in net income and another dip in automotive sales.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 0.86%, the S&P 500 rose 0.78%, and the Nasdaq was 0.61% higher. You have to be in it to win it.

US markets were mixed yesterday, but the S&P 500 managed to close at another record high. Trade-related drama continued, with some comments about US deals with the Philippines and Indonesia, but confusion about China. Tech mega-caps were soft, but Tesla and Google pushed higher ahead of their earnings reports tonight.

In company news, OpenAI and Oracle announced plans to add a massive 4.5 gigawatts of new US data centre capacity, which is enough to power a small country. Defence contractors were in the news, with Northrop Grumman up 9.4% on good numbers and strong demand for new-generation missiles and B-21 bombers. Lockheed Martin dropped 10.8% after reporting big losses which it couldn't explain because the details are "classified". This is not good.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.33%, the S&P 500 rose just 0.06%, and the Nasdaq was 0.39% lower. No worries.

US markets started the week strong. The S&P 500 closed above 6 300 for the first time ever thanks to megacaps Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Broadcom leading the charge. Earnings season has impressed so far. As of Friday, 83% of S&P 500 companies beat expectations. There are over 100 more reporting this week. Buckle up.

In company news, hackers discovered a loophole in widely used Microsoft software and infiltrated government and business systems worldwide. As a result, cybersecurity stocks rallied - SentinelOne jumped 9.8%, Palo Alto rose 2%, and CrowdStrike added 1.2%. Elsewhere, Opendoor Technologies went full meme-mode, surging 42.7% in a single day and is now up a jaw-dropping 211% over the past week. Retail traders and Reddit-fuelled momentum keeps sending that one skyward.

At the end of the day, the JSE All-share closed up 0.98%, the S&P 500 rose 0.14%, and the Nasdaq was 0.38% higher.

US markets wrapped up the week on a flat note. Reports surfaced that President Trump is pushing for a minimum 15% to 20% tariff on EU goods, deal or no deal. That hawkish stance on trade kept a lid on market enthusiasm. The Nasdaq Composite managed to eke out a fresh record close, helped by a few strong tech names, while the S&P 500 was virtually unchanged.

In company news, American Express reported stronger-than-expected billing growth in the second quarter, thanks to its affluent customer base continuing to drive spending. Elsewhere, Meta has refused to sign the EU's AI Code of Practice. The company says the voluntary guidelines aimed at helping firms navigate the new AI Act go too far.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed up 1.37%, the S&P 500 was unchanged, and the Nasdaq rose a tiny 0.05%.

US markets closed at record highs yesterday. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite advanced as solid earnings from big names reassured investors that corporate America can still deliver, even with tariffs and trade drama swirling in the background.

In company news, PepsiCo fizzed 7.4% higher after serving up better-than-expected earnings. Elsewhere, United Airlines jumped 3.1% on a bullish outlook for the rest of the year. Lastly, Netflix slipped 1.9% in after-hours trading, even after strong results and a raised full-year forecast.

Here's the lowdown, the JSE All-share closed up 0.30%, the S&P 500 rose 0.54%, and the Nasdaq was 0.75% higher.

US markets ended the day in the green after a choppy session driven by political drama - again. President Trump floated the idea of firing Jerome Powell during a chat with House Republicans, which the market didn't like. More on that below.

In company news, Bank of America slipped 0.2% after delivering mixed numbers for the second quarter, where earnings beat and revenue missed. Elsewhere, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was in Beijing, praising China's AI progress and the work done by groups like DeepSeek.

Izolo, the JSE All-share closed up 0.05%, the S&P 500 rose 0.32%, and the Nasdaq was 0.25% higher.

US markets opened stronger yesterday, but lost steam through the session. Mild inflation numbers weren't enough to push Wall Street higher. The Nasdaq hit a new record high thanks to Nvidia (4%) and AMD (6%) rallying on news that they will resume sales of certain chips to China.

In company news, Uber and Baidu are teaming up to roll out robotaxis in markets beyond the US and mainland China, marking a multiyear push into autonomous ride-hailing. Elsewhere, Apple has signed a $500 million deal with MP Materials for rare-earth minerals, a well-timed move, just days after the supplier secured backing from the Pentagon. MP shares jumped 20% on the news.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 0.23%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.40%, and the Nasdaq was 0.18% higher.

Yesterday, Wall Street ticked slightly higher as traders sifted through Trump's latest tariff comments. We are starting to sound like a stuck record. The S&P 500 hovered near record levels, buoyed by signs that he is open to more negotiations. Eight of the S&P 500 sectors were in the green, with industrials leading the charge.

In company news, LVMH slipped 1.7% in Paris after an Italian court placed its luxury cashmere brand, Loro Piana, under judicial administration for a year. The move follows allegations of worker abuse within the brand's supply chain. Elsewhere, Autodesk has walked away from a potential acquisition of PTC, shelving what would've been one of the year's biggest deals.

At the close, the JSE All-share closed down 0.43%, the S&P 500 rose 0.14%, and the Nasdaq was 0.27% higher.

US markets edged lower from record highs as Trump ramped up his trade rhetoric. After notching its fifth record in nine trading sessions, the S&P 500 took a breather. Nearly 400 stocks in the index slipped, but a strong showing from the megacaps helped moderate things.

In company news, Levi Strauss jumped 11% after hiking its revenue outlook. The company expects sales of its iconic 501s to more than offset any tariff headaches from Trump's trade jenga. Elsewhere, Tesla is finally planting its flag in India, with their first showroom opening on Tuesday and deliveries possibly starting next month. The electric vehicle giant is looking to revive momentum by tapping into the world's third-largest car market.

On Friday, the JSE All-share closed down 0.15%, the S&P 500 fell 0.33%, and the Nasdaq was 0.22% lower.

Wall Street kept the rally going yesterday, and both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq notched fresh record highs. Investors ignored Trump's attack on Brazil and focused instead on jobless claims coming in lower than expected, and a well-received 30-year bond auction.

In company news, Tesla surged 4.7% after announcing plans to roll out its Robotaxi service in California and Arizona. Elon also said his AI chatbot Grok will soon be deployed in Tesla cars. Delta Air Lines soared 12% after reviving its full-year profit forecast, saying that travelers are back in droves. Lastly, Ferrero, the company behind Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, snapped up WK Kellogg for $3.1 billion, doubling down on their US expansion.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 0.14%, the S&P 500 rose 0.27%, and the Nasdaq was 0.09% higher. Splendid.

US markets ended higher yesterday as big tech came roaring back. The S&P 500 is near all-time highs, despite ongoing trade tensions. Trump is throwing bombs, and Brazil was the latest to receive a 50% bitch-slap.

Nvidia was the lead steer last night, that stock is now up over 20% for the year, and was briefly valued above $4 trillion in market cap, the first listed company ever to reach that level.

In company news, Autodesk is kicking the tyres of rival engineering software company PTC Inc for a potential takeover, sending the latter's shares up 17.7%. Elsewhere, advertising giant WPP fell 18.1% after cutting profit guidance on weak demand and disruptions from AI alternatives.

At the closing bell, the JSE All-share closed down 0.03%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.61%, and the Nasdaq marched 0.94% higher. Good times!

US markets bumbled sideways yesterday. Each day seems to bring a new set of tariffs, which is unsettling. Trump said he would impose a 50% tariff on copper imported into the US, so the price jumped 17% in New York, but fell in London. The US imports 36% of its copper, primarily from Chile and Canada. The higher cost of a key industrial material would be carried through to finished products, surely?

In company news, EssilorLuxottica, the world's largest eyewear maker, jumped 6% on the news that Meta has taken a 3% stake in the company. The two companies have a very successful partnership creating smart glasses, which is set to expand. Clean energy stocks took some heat yesterday, SunRun (-11.43%), Enphase Energy (-3.58%), and First Solar (-6.54%) as Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to speed up the elimination of wind and solar subsidies.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed down 0.11%, the S&P 500 fell by 0.07%, and the Nasdaq ended 0.03% higher. Small beer and a nothingburger.

Tariffs are rising, so US stocks dropped yesterday. Trump told the leaders of South Korea and Japan that their exports to the US will face 25% tariffs starting on 1 August. South Africa also got a special mention, and a 30% tariff, but it is unclear if that includes the extra 10% for being part of BRICs. Amusingly, in Trump's letter to Ramaphosa, he says that the US's trade deficit with South Africa is a threat to their economy and national security.

In company news, Uber closed 3% higher due to a stock upgrade from Wells Fargo, which expects good ridership growth. Tesla was a big loser yesterday, dropping 7% because Elon Musk appeared to be launching a new political party. The market is worried that his focus will shift away from managing Tesla, again, and that there could be retaliation from the Republican establishment.

In summary, the JSE All-share closed up 0.19%, but the S&P 500 fell 0.79%, and the Nasdaq ended 0.92% lower. Not too bad.