The market is expected to trade up about 0.4 per cent after the long weekend, which would see the ASX200 back nudging close to a new record high.
The Dow Jones closed last week up nearly 0.2 per cent, but the tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped about a third of a per cent and the S&P500 0.1 per cent.
US Core Personal Consumption Expenditure index came in 0.2 per cent higher for December and the
US Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates in the range of 5.25-5.50 per cent when it meets mid-week. We’ll see the results of that early on Thursday morning.
Local attention will be on Australia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for the December quarter, some analysts are tipping it’ll come in at 4.2 per cent year on year, that’d be good news for mortgage holders as it would be below the RBA’s 4.5 per cent forecast.
Some stocks to keep an eye on today include Damstra Holdings (ASX:DTC) which has entered into a binding agreement to be acquired by global software company, Ideagen. Damstra shareholders would receive 24 cents per share. Trade closed on Friday at 20 cents.
Gold producer Emerald Resources NL (ASX: EMR) is encouraging its shareholders to accept its unconditional takeover bid for unlisted company Bullseye Mining. Emerald already holds about 78 per cent of Bullseye, which has the North Laverton gold project in Western Australia.
There’s a host of December quarterly reports landing this morning, including from Bellevue Gold (ASX:BGL), Gold Road Resources (ASX: GOR) and Argosy Minerals (ASX:AGY).
One Aussie dollar is buying 66 US cents.
Iron ore has gained more than a per cent to trade above US$137. Gold is flat at US$2018, crude oil has lifted nearly a per cent to US$78 and natural gas is above US$2.70.