Only
two of the 11 sectors were higher at the time of writing. Technology and consumer staples were the top sectors, rising 0.9 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively.
Conversely, energy was the bottom performing sector, decreasing 2.9 per cent. Followed by materials and financials, falling 2.1 per cent and 1.8 per cent, each.
Warehouse company Costco Wholesale was the top performing stock at the time of writing, advancing 3.9 per cent. The company has announced a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock to be paid on 12 August.
Wireless industry technology provider Qualcomm also performed well, improving 3.8 per cent. Rounding out the top movers was casino company Las Vegas Sands Corporation, elevating 3.1 per cent.
Packaged food company Conagra Brands was the biggest underperformer, having declined 7.6 per cent at the time of writing. This follows a quarterly earnings announcement before market open, revealing the company's sales volume had reduced.
Closing out the bottom movers was biotechnology company Moderna and hydrogen and nitrogen manufacturer CF Industries, dropping 6.7 per cent and 6.4 per cent, respectively.
Rest of the World
Asian markets were mixed overnight. The Shanghai Composite declined 0.1 per cent, Nikkei lifted 0.6 per cent, and the Hang Seng fell 0.2 per cent.
European markets were in the red. The FTSE slid 1.6 per cent, the DAX regressed 1.9 per cent and the CAC lowered 1.4 per cent.
Commodities
Gold traded 1.6 per cent lower to US$1,708.6 per ounce, while silver dropped 4.7 per cent to US$18.29 per ounce.
WTI Crude Oil also decreased 1.3 per cent to US$95.05 per barrel at the time of writing.
The cryptocurrency market was in the green again, with Bitcoin increasing 5.1 per cent and Ethereum up 10.7 per cent.
The US 10-Year Treasury rate rose six basis points to 2.965 per cent alongside a four basis point gain in the 30-Year rate, to 3.113 per cent.
New Zealand
The NZX 50 closed 0.6 per cent higher yesterday, at 11,188 points.
Leading the market was church donations system provider Pushpay recovering some of the losses it made earlier in the week, rising 6.6 per cent.
Manufacturer Skellerup increased 3.4 per cent. The company recently announced that they will release their annual results ended 30 June on 18 August.
Energy and gas distributor Vector was up 3.3 per cent.
On the other side of the market, national stock exchange operator NZX fell 3.2 per cent. This appeared to follow no news.
Film technology company Vista Group International was down 2.3 per cent.
Stats NZ is due to release inflation statistics for the June quarter on 18 July, with many commentators expecting an increase in inflation.
The most recent Consumer Price Index results, recorded in March, had the inflation rate sitting at 6.9 per cent per annum.
Earlier this week, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand increased the Official Cash Rate by another 50 basis points, bringing it to 2.5 per cent, in its ongoing efforts to curb inflation.
Monday's consumer price index figures from Stats NZ will provide markets with additional insight into the potential extent of future monetary policy in the country.
Australia
The ASX 200 closed 0.4 per cent higher to 6,650.60 points.
Information technology led sector growth with a 2.1 per cent increase, followed by energy (+1.7 per cent) and materials (+1.6 per cent).
Two of the 11 sectors closed in the red. Australian real estate investment trusts fell 1.2 per cent and the financial sector declined 0.8 per cent.
EML Payments led single stocks with a 12.3 per cent gain. The technology firm's former managing director and CEO Tom Cregan clarified the reasons behind his resignation earlier in the week.
Biotechnology company Imugene improved 8.7 per cent. Exploration firm Chalice Mining rose 8.4 per cent.
Bega Cheese slid 8.5 per cent. The dairy company expects earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the 2023 financial year (FY23) to be between A$160 million to A$190 million.
This is wider than forecast earnings for the 2022 financial year of A$175 million to A$190 million.
Bega noted the impact of escalating milk prices on the company's financial performance. Farmgate milk prices for FY23 in Victoria, a key supply region, have increased 30 per cent on 2022 levels.
Gold mining company St Barbara fell 4.8 per cent.
Investment firm Pendal Group rounded out yesterday's underperformers with a 2.6 per cent drop.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data revealed the country's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped by 0.4 percentage points to 3.5 per cent in June, the lowest since August 1974.
The ABS attributed this month's reduction to labour market tightening, with continuing shortages and "high demand for engaging and retaining workers".
There is now one unemployed person for every vacant job in Australia, down from three people per vacant job prior to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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