S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
The S&P/ASX 200 slipped 24 points, or 0.3%, to close at 8,955 on Thursday, reversing morning gains and a two-day advance as weakness in process industries, non-energy minerals, logistics, and financials weighed. Sentiment soured after April data showed inflation expectations in Australia jumped to their highest since November 2022, stoking cost-pressure concerns. Employment growth also slowed to a four-month low in March, driven by a drop in part-time jobs. Traders remained cautious after China’s Q1 2026 GDP beat forecasts, but face risks of softer growth if the Middle East crisis drags on. In the U.S., President Trump said the war with Iran was “close to over,” though Washington’s port blockade keeps supply-disruption risks elevated. Australia’s “big four” banks fell 1.3%–2.8%, while notable laggards included Reece Ltd. (-5.3%), Viva Energy (-4.5%), Evolution Mining (-4.2%), and Greatland Resources (-4.0%).
