The week in equities, rates, currencies and commodities across Australia, the US, Europe, China and Japan. This week's leader: Nikkei 225 (+2.93% over 7 days).
| Region | Index | Level | Week | YTD | 12-Month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | ASX 200 | 8682.10 | +0.20% | -0.37% | -2.95% |
| US | S&P 500 | 7666.45 | -0.49% | +11.99% | +14.16% |
| US | Nasdaq Composite | 26871.60 | -0.25% | +15.62% | +17.63% |
| US | Dow Jones | 50926.56 | -0.82% | +5.96% | +9.47% |
| Europe | FTSE 100 | 10428.30 | -2.50% | +5.00% | +10.61% |
| Europe | DAX | 24939.35 | -1.85% | +1.83% | +2.12% |
| Europe | CAC 40 | 7835.31 | -3.00% | -3.86% | -2.75% |
| Europe | Euro Stoxx 50 | 6175.45 | -2.02% | +6.54% | +9.38% |
| China | Shanghai Composite | 3842.20 | -1.19% | -3.19% | -1.05% |
| China | Hang Seng | 23930.99 | -2.36% | -6.63% | -12.30% |
| Japan | Nikkei 225 | 68309.46 | +2.93% | +35.70% | +52.01% |
Top 3 this week
- Nikkei 225 (Japan)+2.93%
- ASX 200 (Australia)+0.20%
- Nasdaq Composite (US)-0.25%
Worst 3 this week
- CAC 40 (Europe)-3.00%
- FTSE 100 (Europe)-2.50%
- Hang Seng (China)-2.36%
Equity markets drifted through a relatively quiet week, with investors digesting RBA commentary and awaiting fresh Australian inflation and growth data. Wall Street retained its tech-led momentum, while European markets stayed split between caution and modest optimism. China drew renewed attention on stimulus hopes, and Japan remained sensitive to yen swings. In Australia, the ongoing debate over the future of LICs highlights a quiet rotation taking shape within domestic equity markets.
RBA and ABS releases dominated the macro narrative, as the consumer price index and GDP figures were closely watched for clues on the rate path ahead. The central bank's cautious steady stance kept the Australian dollar contained, while the euro traded in a fairly narrow range against major peers. Commodities, including oil and gold, tracked this balance between moderate growth and contained inflation, without showing a clear directional trend this week.
For a long-term Franco-Australian investor, the week reinforces the value of maintaining balanced exposure across both economies, each moving to its own macro rhythm. Rather than reacting to short-term noise, staying diversified across equities, bonds and currencies remains the steadier path, with patience and consistency continuing to matter more than trying to call markets that evolve in cycles rather than certainties.
This content is general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Index levels reflect the latest available close at the time this article was generated; the "Week" change covers the trailing 7 days, and YTD and 12-month changes are calculated from available daily closing prices.