End of Day Report – Thursday 15 May: ASX up 18 points | CBA and banks driving higher

The ASX 200 rose 18 points to 8298 (+0.2%) as the banks put in another solid day. CBA is up 1.3% with NAB once again slightly outperforming, ANZ up 1.7% with the Big Bank Basket up to $266.85 (+1.3%). MQG rallied 1.2% with other financials mixed. Insurers better, IAG rose 5.7% after signing a deal with RACWA. Up 5.7%. REITs were once again under pressure as yields continued higher as job numbers came in better than expected. SCG down 1.9% and GMG off 1.0%. Industrials rose, WES up 2.2%, and ALL recovered some of the dips yesterday,y up 1.9%, with WOW and COL slightly better. Tech rallied, and XRO released some good numbers, rising 4.7%. Resources failed to launch again, BHP down 0.7% with RIO off 0.4% and gold miners under siege as bullion falls again. GMD down 3.2% and NEM off 4.0%. Base metal and lithium stocks eased, MIN up 1.9%. Oil and gas slid back, WDS down 1.8%, and uranium mixed again.In corporate news, GNC leaped 8.8% on a positive update, and NWH fell 8.3% after a warning on the Valhalla steelworks sale process. MYX jumped 8.2% after Deloitte reviewed the Cosette $672m deal. TWE fell 5.2% as the CEO stepped down.On the economic front, the labour market showed strength, with a jump of 89k jobs in April, more than the 20k forecast. Asian markets drifted lower, with Japan down 0.9%, HK down 1.0%, and China down 0.7%. Dow futures down 0.5%, NASDAQ futures down 0.2%. Want to invest with Marcus Today? The Managed Strategy Portfolio is designed for investors seeking exposure to our strategy while we do the hard work for you. If you’re looking for personal financial advice, our friends at Clime Investment Management can help. Their team of licensed advisers operates across most states, offering tailored financial planning services.  Why not sign up for a free trial? Gain access to expert insights, research, and analysis to become a better investor.