CommSec Daily Report s

Mid-Session Report | 25 November 2020

Latest news Latest Prices 12.10pm (AEDT) Indices Level Previous % chg  The Australian market is lifting for a third day, with the ASX 200 up All Ords 6,901.6 6,855.5 0.67 51pts or 0.78 per cent to 6,695.7 as most sectors improve. This is ASX 200 6,695.7 6,644.1 0.78 enough to push the market into positive territory for 2020 despite the Shanghai 3,402.8 3,402.8 0.00 38 per cent tumble recorded between mid-February and mid-March. Japan Nikkei 26,661.6 26,165.6 1.90

 Overnight, the US market hit a record high with the Dow Jones US Nasdaq 12,036.8 11,880.6 1.31 cracking 30,000pts for the first time. The local market remains in its UK FTSE 6,432.2 6,333.8 1.55 fourth straight week of gains, is near a nine-month high and is now on DOW Futures 30,124.0 29,998.0 0.42 track to have its best November on record. Vaccine news has been

better than expected this month, some borders are starting to reopen and US election uncertainty is easing. Sectors Last Previous % chg Consumer Discretionary 2,972.0 2,946.3 0.87  With the exception of Healthcare, Tech and Telcos, all other sectors Consumer Staples 12,705.9 12,680.1 0.20 are improving at lunch. The standouts continue to be those areas of the Energy 8,462.2 8,227.4 2.85 market that have struggled most in 2020. This includes Energy, Financials 5,650.0 5,555.1 1.71 Financials and companies linked to travel. Financial-x-A-REIT 6,301.6 6,195.8 1.71 Health Care 45,880.4 46,273.2 -0.85  Energy stocks are surging by 2.5 per cent following a 4.3 per cent lift Industrials 6,331.3 6,319.2 0.19 in the oil price overnight. Greater demand hopes and Joe Biden Information Tech 2,039.1 2,076.6 -1.81 nominating Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary perhaps increases the Materials 14,637.8 14,498.6 0.96 likelihood of a large US fiscal stimulus package. ASX200 A-REIT 1,468.2 1,450.2 1.24  Travel stocks are mostly higher after the Premier said the Telecommunications 1,291.5 1,296.2 -0.36 state would reopen borders with Victoria and New Sales Wales next Utilities 7,041.6 6,978.2 0.91 Tuesday. (WEB), Flight Centre (FLT), (QAN) and Airport (SYD) are up by between 25-60 per cent so far this Stocks Last Day Move % chg month. BHP $38.96 $0.66 1.72 RIO $103.99 $0.86 0.83  Fisher & Paykel (FPH) is lifting after handing down its latest earnings. CBA $82.70 $1.54 1.89 FPH said that its half year net profit jumped by 86 per cent to ANZ $23.45 $0.48 2.07 NZ$225.5m while revenue improved by 59 per cent. FPH’s result was NAB $23.86 $0.53 2.27 driven by increased demand for Hospital hardware to treat COVID-19 WBC $20.91 $0.46 2.25 patients. It has declared a NZ$0.16 per share dividend. TLS $3.12 -$0.01 -0.16  Kathmandu (KMD) delivered a trading update this morning. The WES $50.37 $0.45 0.90 adventure retailer’s group sales for the three months to 31 October rose WPL $23.45 $0.81 3.58 by 72 per cent (on 12 months earlier) thanks to a strong result from its CSL $315.88 -$2.70 -0.85 Rip Curl business. KMD sales were negatively impacted by Melbourne COH $225.47 -$2.05 -0.90 and Auckland store closures together with lower demand for travel- NCM $26.66 $0.06 0.23 related purchases. Other Current Aust 4pm % chg  (FBU) expects half year EBIT to be in the range of AUD/USD 0.7363 0.7361 0.0 $305-$320m (compares to $219m over the first half of last year). The AUD/EUR 0.6188 0.6190 -0.03 building products maker has provided no FY21 guidance due to the ongoing COVID-19 uncertainty. AUD/JPY 76.926 76.885 0.05

 Graincorp (GNC) and OFX Group (OFX) are both ex-dividend today 11am Official Cash 0.10 0.10 0.00 while Brickworks (BKW) and (BOQ) are both Aust 90 day futures 0.02 0.02 0.0 set to pay eligible shareholders dividends on Wednesday. Oil Nymex ($US/b)* 44.97 45.03 -0.1 Gold futures($US/oz) 1805.90 1804.60 0.1

 2.9bn shares have changed hands so far today, worth an above average $3.7bn. 622 stocks are up, 608 down and 355 are unchanged.

Steven Daghlian - Market Analyst (Author) Twitter: @commsec

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