Author name: Jonathan Tacadena

The Australian sharemarket is set to post its first weekly decline in four weeks, with a late rally in bank stocks failing to offset earlier losses. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.4% to 8225.3 points by mid-afternoon Friday, narrowing the weekly loss to 0.6%. While seven of the index’s 11 sectors traded higher, earlier selling pressure driven by weaker-than-expected earnings from major banks weighed on overall performance.

Australian shares rebounded from early losses as optimism around a potential trade agreement and expectations of US rate cuts lifted sentiment. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 30.3 points, or 0.4%, to 8208.6 by 2pm, with nine of eleven sectors trading higher. The All Ordinaries also gained 0.4%.

The ASX is poised to break a two-day losing streak as investor sentiment improves on the back of renewed China-US trade dialogue and fresh stimulus measures from Beijing. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.3% to 8178.6 near 2pm, with eight of eleven sectors trading higher. The All Ordinaries also advanced 0.3%.

Australian shares fluctuated on Tuesday as investors digested a flurry of updates from Macquarie’s annual investment conference and ongoing weakness in the banking sector. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.1% to 8163.1 points by mid-afternoon, supported by gains in mining and consumer discretionary stocks.

The ASX snapped a seven-day winning streak as weak earnings from Westpac and a sharp decline in oil prices weighed on financial and energy stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7% to 8181.4, on track for its largest one-day drop since April 11, with eight of 11 sectors trading lower.

The Australian sharemarket is poised to close at a two-month high, buoyed by hopes of easing trade tensions after China signaled openness to negotiations with the United States. The S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.9% or 73.5 points to 8219 near 2pm, marking its seventh straight session of gains, with the All Ordinaries also up 0.9%. Ten of the 11 sectors traded higher, led by energy stocks, as crude oil prices rebounded following a three-day decline.

The Australian sharemarket extended gains on Wednesday, tracking Wall Street’s positive momentum despite weaker US economic data. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.3 per cent, or 23.2 points, to 8093.8 by 2pm, its highest in two months. The All Ordinaries also advanced 0.3 per cent, supported by strength in real estate and financials.