Hopes that a peak in interest rates had arrived and that rate cuts may come in the near future pushed the S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO) to a 0.9 per cent gain on Friday. The All Ordinaries (INDEXASX: XAO) added 0.8 per cent with every sector barring utilities and real estate finishing higher.
The materials and energy sectors paced the market, adding 1.9 per cent each, with the falling US dollar and stimulus in China pushing both Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) up more than 2 per cent.
Shares in Chemist Warehouse listing vehicle Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) fell by nearly 7 per cent as traders focus turns to the risk that the competition regulator will not allow the deal to proceed.
Sigma Healthcare share price
It was a similar story for Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS) which was flat despite the merger with Australian Clinical Labs Ltd (ASX: ACL) being denied.
Pain continues to spread in the property sector with Dexus (ASX: DXS) cutting the valuation of it’s property portfolio by another 5.2 per cent.
Across the week falling bond yields boosted the property and healthcare sectors, which gained 5.3 and 4.2 per cent respectively.
Dow hits third straight record close: CostCo jumps on outperformance
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: .DJI) booked a third straight record close after gaining 0.2 per cent on Friday, while both the S&P 500 (INDEXSP: .INX) and Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ: .IXIC), which finished flat and Nasdaq up 0.4 per cent, capped a seventh straight week of gains.
This time it was powered by the smaller companies sector, although every major industry gained to close out the week. The drive is coming from comments by Fed members that inflation was ‘on the right course’ hitting 3.1 per cent down from a high of 9.1 and projections that rates will be lower in 2024.
Shares in big box retailer Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ: COST) gained more than 4 per cent after the company reported first quarter earnings in line with expectations while delivering a special dividend.
Costco share price
Similarly, Chinese retailers JD.Com Inc (NASDAQ: JD) and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd – ADR (NYSE: BABA) added 4 and 3 per cent on new policy stimulus at home.
Smaller companies drive next leg of rally: Was inflation transitory?
While commentators continued to focus on the difficult path ahead for share markets in light of the rally to finish off 2023, the answer to further gains was on show this week.
While the Dow hit another record high, smaller companies outperformed, gaining 5.6 per cent over the week and continue to standout as opportunity within global markets.
The listed property sector remains under pressure, highlighted by the latest valuation reductions, and signs of increasing loan work outs, yet falling bond yields may be just what the market needs as the calendar turns.
Fed Chair Powell may well have called it too soon, but does the fact that inflation has fallen from 9.1 to 3.1 in 12 months mean it was transitory all along?