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US markets edged higher yesterday, at the start of the busiest week for corporate earnings. Energy stocks fell as Israel focused its strikes on Iranian military sites, easing concerns over disruptions to oil production in the Middle East.

In company news, Apple has begun releasing its first Apple Intelligence features and launched a new 24-inch iMac with an AI-centric M4 chip. Meanwhile, Meta is developing a search engine to power responses in its AI chatbot by sourcing information from across the web. Lastly, after hours, Ford shares dropped 6% following a cut in its profit outlook.

Here's how it went down. The JSE All-share was up 0.72%, the S&P 500 rose 0.27%, and the Nasdaq was 0.26% higher. Nice one.

US stocks lost steam on Friday as declines in bank shares weighed on the broader market. The S&P 500 ended the week down, the first time since early September. Tech stocks held strong, so the Nasdaq closed in the green. Tesla rose another 3.3% on the day, securing a solid 23% gain for the week.

In company news, Deckers Outdoor jumped 10.5% after reporting strong sales and lifting their annual outlook, thanks to firm demand for its Hoka and UGG brands. Meanwhile, Capri Holdings plummeted nearly 49% after a federal judge blocked the planned $8.5 billion acquisition by fashion brand conglomerate Tapestry, whose shares surged 13.5% on the news.

Here is the summary of Friday's moves. The JSE All-share was up a tiny 0.09%, the S&P 500 fell just 0.03%, and the Nasdaq was 0.56% higher.

US markets finally had a positive day for the first time this week, with the "Mag 7" reaching a three-month high. Tesla led the charge, surging 22%, its biggest rally since May 2013. More on that below.

In company news, UPS, often seen as an economic barometer, surged 5.3% after returning to sales and profit growth. Meanwhile, ServiceNow gained 5.4%, thanks to strong third-quarter sales and bookings as it expands its AI offerings. On the flip side, IBM's results disappointed, leading to a 6.2% drop in its stock.

Izolo, the JSE All-share was up 0.55%, the S&P 500 rose 0.21%, and the Nasdaq was 0.76% higher.

US markets went down again yesterday, marking three straight days of losses. After five months of steady gains, a pullback like this is something we can handle. The S&P 500 has been unusually calm recently, with no daily moves over 1% in either direction for the past 23 sessions - the longest stretch of stability since 2021.

In company news, Tesla shares jumped 12% after-hours after good third-quarter earnings. Their Cybertruck model finally turned a profit after being in production for almost a year. Elsewhere, Kering has cautioned that its annual profit could drop to its lowest level since 2016, as a sharp decline in Chinese demand for luxury goods continues to hurt its largest brand Gucci.

In summary, the JSE All-share was down 0.33%, the S&P 500 fell 0.92%, and the Nasdaq was 1.60% lower.

US markets closed mixed yesterday, with the Nasdaq up but the S&P 500 experiencing its first back-to-back decline in six weeks. For what it's worth, the current expectation is that the Federal Reserve will slow down its rate-cutting pace. Standout performers amongst the mega caps were Microsoft (+2.1%) and Meta (+1.2%).

In company news, McDonald's shares dropped 5.8% after hours due to an E. Coli outbreak tied to its Quarter Pounders in the western US. Verizon also fell 5% after reporting weaker-than-expected revenue, largely impacted by sluggish mobile phone sales. Finally, L'Oreal struggled with disappointing sales last quarter, with consumer demand in China continuing to decline.

Here's the lowdown, the JSE All-share was off 0.37%, and the S&P 500 slipped by just 0.05%, but the Nasdaq rose by 0.18%.

US markets had a mixed session yesterday, with the S&P 500 pausing after its longest weekly rally of the year. Nvidia surged 4.1% to hit a record high, lifting the Nasdaq. Interestingly, the S&P 500 hasn't seen back-to-back losses in nearly 30 sessions. While a month without consecutive down days might not seem significant, this current streak ranks among the best since 1928, according to SentimenTrader.

In company news, Kenvue jumped 5.5% after activist investor Starboard Value took a stake in the company, aiming to drive changes that could lift its stock price. Meanwhile, Microsoft is rolling out new AI tools aimed at helping business workers handle tasks like sending emails and managing records more efficiently.

At the close, the JSE All-share was down 0.14%, the S&P 500 fell 0.18%, and the Nasdaq was 0.27% higher. Our portfolios went up.

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!