Pre-Market Report – Monday 10 August: US markets firm - SPI up 33 - Gold jumps - WBC results - CAR results - No deal in Gulf

The S&P 500 rose on Friday as traders interpreted an unexpected loss of jobs in July as meaning the Federal Reserve won’t need to raise interest rates soon and can leave monetary policy on hold for now.The broad market index advanced 0.62% for a record close of 7,757.64, while the Nasdaq Composite outperformed, climbing 1.3% to 26,690.62. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 151.83 points, or 0.28%, to end at 54,036.93.Stocks posted a second straight week of gains. The S&P 500 — which closed above 7,700 for the first time ever earlier this week — advanced 3.6% in the period. The Nasdaq saw a gain of 5.2%, thanks to a bounce-back in chip stocks. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) ended the week up more than 7%. The Dow, on the other hand, gained nearly 3% during the week. All three indexes notched their best weekly performances since April.July’s nonfarm payrolls report showed a drop of 23,000 jobs, while economists polled by Dow Jones had forecast a gain of 83,000. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1% as the labor force participation rate fell to its lowest level in more than five years.SPI up 33 - WBC CAR Results - BET gets a 24c bid.Marcus Today – Daily Market Insights Marcus Today provides clear, practical commentary for self-directed investors – covering markets, portfolios, education, and decision-making without the noise. If you'd like to go further: Start a free 14-day trial of Marcus Today http://bit.ly/mt-trial-podcast Join Marcus Today Use code MTPODCAST for 10% off http://bit.ly/mt-join-podcast-offer MT20 – Managed ETF Portfolio A professionally managed portfolio run by Marcus Padley and the team, using ASX-listed ETFs with active market timing. http://bit.ly/mt20-podcast Principles – How We Think About Investing A short video series on timing, behaviour, and decision-making. No stock tips. http://bit.ly/mt-principles-podcast — Disclaimer This podcast is general information only and does not consider your personal circumstances. It is not personal financial advice.