1h agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 12:27amMarket snapshot<\/p>\n
Prices current around 10:25am AEST<\/p>\n
Live updates on the major ASX indices:<\/b><\/p>\n
Just nowFri 19 Sep 2025 at 1:49am<\/p>\n
Record money flows into ETFs<\/p>\n
Global X ETFs, which is a financial institution based in Sydney, claims the Australian Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) market grew $10.2 billion over the month to $299.4 billion across 433 products.<\/p>\n
It says that’s a 3.5 per cent increase over the month.<\/p>\n
“The Australian ETF market has grown 35.9 per cent over the past year, and is running at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33.5 per cent per annum,” Global X ETF’s latest report noted.<\/p>\n
“This growth was driven by $45.8 billion in net inflows over the past year and positive market movements across multiple asset classes.”<\/p>\n
18m agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 1:31am<\/p>\n
HSBC seeking pragmatic approach to boosting productivity<\/p>\n
HSBC says it’s “hopeful” productivity levels will rise in Australia in coming years.<\/p>\n
Chief economist Paul Bloxham wants policymakers’ focus directed to competition policy, housing affordability, and the tax system \u2014 all of which, he says, need reform to boost productivity.<\/p>\n
Here’s what Mr Bloxham has to say around tax:<\/p>\n
“We need to look at our tax system.<\/p>\n
“It’s becoming increasingly inefficient.<\/p>\n
“That’s been the case over the past 20 or 25 years because we haven’t done any big-scale tax reform since we introduced the GST in the year 2000.<\/p>\n
“We have a corporate tax rate and a personal income tax system that are both some of the highest in terms of, if you look across the world, the developed world, in terms of the proportion of income that comes into the system.<\/p>\n
“High corporate tax rates discourage business investment.<\/p>\n
“High personal income tax rates discourage participation in the labour market and the most efficient national tax we have is the one that we get very little revenue from.<\/p>\n
“And that’s the GST.<\/p>\n
“It’s a low rate, it’s got a narrow base, so there’s some really obvious things we could do with the tax system to make it more efficient.”<\/p>\n
Paul Bloxham believes reforming competition policy, improving housing affordability and making the tax system more efficient, “will encourage businesses to make the change they need to, to innovate and adopt things like AI and invest and so on and that that will ultimately lead to productivity picking up”.<\/p>\n
34m agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 1:15am<\/p>\n
Bonds are a calm ocean<\/p>\n
I want to draw your attention to two data points.<\/p>\n
First, the VIX: 15.7<\/p>\n
Second, the MOVE: 71.91<\/p>\n
The\u00a0VIX is a measure of share market volatility and\u00a0<\/strong>can help you prepare for stock market shifts \u2014 especially downward ones.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Merrill Lynch Option Volatility Estimate<\/strong>, commonly known as the\u00a0MOVE Index\u00a0<\/strong>(MOVE), tracks volatility in treasuries or fixed income.<\/p>\n Both are showing unusual levels of calm in financial markets more broadly.<\/p>\n It’s a far cry from the volatility experienced in early April when the Trump administration announced US reciprocal tariffs on its trading partners.<\/p>\n 45m agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 1:05am<\/p>\n It’s official \u2026<\/p>\n DT is now stepping into the blog as pilot.<\/p>\n I’ve taken over the controls.<\/p>\n I can’t promise a smooth and pleasant journey \u2014 there may be turbulence \u2014 so please keep your seatbelt fastened while seated.<\/p>\n 1h agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 12:31am<\/p>\n ASIC issues DDO stop orders against credit fund<\/p>\n ASIC has made interim stop orders against the 12 Month Term Account and Two Year Account products offered under the La Trobe Australian Credit Fund \u2014 a registered managed investment scheme.<\/p>\n ASIC is concerned the target market determination (TMD) for La Trobe\u2019s 12 Month Term Account and Two Year Account products:<\/p>\n ASIC says it is “taking this action to protect consumers and retail investors from acquiring products that may not be suitable for their financial objectives, situation or needs”.<\/p>\n For context, the 12 Month Term Account and Two Year Account are invested almost entirely in loans secured by registered first mortgages, with the exception of small cash and term deposit holdings held to meet cash requirements.<\/p>\n These products are not bank deposits.<\/p>\n Under the design and distribution obligations (DDO), ASIC says financial product issuers and distributors must ensure the product\u2019s TMD is clear and appropriately defines the target market, accurately reflects the product\u2019s risks and features and includes appropriate distribution conditions.\u202f<\/p>\n 1h agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 12:21amASX jumps in early trade with every sector higher<\/p>\n It’s an optimistic day on the local share market \u2014 must be all those traders who woke up to a sunny Sydney morning and thought, “Y’know what, I’m gonna buy.”<\/p>\n Loading<\/p>\n Literally every sector on the ASX 200 is up, with healthcare, utilities, industrials and technology leading the gains.<\/p>\n In all, 165 out of the top 200 companies were trading higher<\/b> early on.<\/p>\n That’s pushed the ASX 200 index up 0.8% to 8,813 points<\/b>.<\/p>\n Aside from some fine spring weather, the positive mood stemmed from renewed optimism in the US (if it had ever faded much in the first place).<\/p>\n “Risk appetite returned overnight as markets reassessed the Fed’s stance, with traders taking a more positive view of the FOMC decision and guidance,” NAB’s Rodrigo Catril<\/b> noted.<\/p>\n “US equities surged to new highs<\/b>, with the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, Dow Jones, and Russell 2000 all closing at new highs.<\/p>\n “Tech outperformed, fuelled by a 23% jump in Intel after Nvidia’s $5bn investment<\/b> and plans for joint chip development.<\/p>\n “Small caps also rallied, and Chinese equities were buoyed by ongoing AI investment and optimism around domestic chip innovation.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n So, basically, the attitude is buy everything \u2014 except safe haven gold, which has been on the nose a bit overnight.<\/p>\n 1h agoFri 19 Sep 2025 at 12:06am<\/p>\n Dirty nickel<\/p>\n Batterys why is no one talking about DIRTY NICKEL that is mined and processed for EV BATTERYS and other batterys there was a story done on this not long ago and when Chris Bowen was asked about this by reporters he didnt want to know about it or comment recently when in Indonesia at an energy and renewable conference – makes you think<\/p>\n – chrisso<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Hi Chrisso, colleagues across the ABC have done some very good work looking at the pollution from the nickel industry, notably in Indonesia.<\/p>\n This work by Erwin Renaldi and Hellena Souisa<\/b> is both stunning and disturbing.<\/p>\n 2h agoThu 18 Sep 2025 at 11:37pmGovernment seeking new chair and deputy for key financial regulators<\/p>\n The Treasurer Jim Chalmers<\/b> has put out a couple of job ads via press release.<\/p>\n The chair of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Joe Longo<\/b>, has indicated he will not seek another term once his current one ends in May.<\/p>\n “It has been an immense privilege to serve as chair of ASIC and to have been given the opportunity to rebuild and renew the agency,” Mr Longo said in a statement.<\/p>\n “In June this year, I informed the secretary to the Treasury I would not be seeking an extension to my term and I formalised this advice to the Treasurer earlier this month.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Likewise, the deputy chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) Margaret Cole<\/b> is not seeking an extension to her term past June 2026.<\/p>\n Mr Chalmers says Treasury has already commenced the usual search process to find their replacements.<\/p>\n 2h agoThu 18 Sep 2025 at 11:19pmVIDEO: DECARBONISATION ACCELERATION<\/p>\n\n
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5 year S&P 500 (LSEG)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lcimg-d9ec9055-8b44-4b23-8c5d-62895fe7ecda.png\")
TOP AND BOTTOM MOVERS (LSEG)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lcimg-5eda5824-883b-485a-ba33-f6368348abad.png\")
S&P 500 sectors (LSEG)<\/p>\n