End of Day Report – Wednesday 30 April: ASX 200 kicks at the close | Up 3.7% for April

The ASX 200 finished the month up 56 points to 8126 (+0.7%), giving us a 3.7% rise for the month. Hard to believe really. A 14% rally off the lows. CPI today came in slightly higher than some expected, but clears the way for a rate cut next week. Banks celebrated with CBA pushing 2.2% higher, NAB up 0.5% and the Big Bank Basket up to $265.43 (+1.6%). Other financials were a little mixed. MQG fell 0.5%. Insurers better, SUN up 2.3%. REITs also going well. GMG up 1.9% and SGP up 1.3%. Industrials firmed with retail again doing better, JBH up 0.7% and WES up 1.6%. COL reported today and eased 0.8%. BXB starting to find support. ALL up 1.9% and Tech doing ok, WTC up 1.0% and the Index up 1.2%.Resources took a breather today as the shorts backed off on the buying. Uranium stocks fell back a little as did gold miners. NST still suffering from soft quarterly, down another 3.5%. FMG gave back some of yesterday’s gains, down 1.1%, and S32 fell 1.1%. BHP and RIO were relatively steady. Lithium stocks slipped a little, PLS down 2.3% and MIN unchanged after the big rally yesterday. JHX finding support, up 1.2%.In corporate news, plenty of quarterlies. ORG fell 1.4% on its weaker quarterly. SGR unchanged despite news that losses increased.On the economic front, the local CPI came in at 0.9% and 2.4% for the year, giving the RBA a reason to be cheerful. Meanwhile in China, factory activity fell. No surprise there really. Asian markets were firm. 10 -year yields slipped to 4.13%. Dow futures flat, NASDAQ futures down 0.4%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.