AU Morning Wrap: Miners Lift Shares; NextDC Jumps on Customer Wins

Moomoo News AU wrote a column · Apr 12, 2023 08:27

G'day, mooers! Check out the latest news on today's stock market!
• S&P 500 flat ahead of inflation data, IMF issues growth warning
• Shares add 0.4%
• Stocks to watch: NextDC, Whitehaven Coal, BHP
- Moomoo News AU

AU Morning Wrap: Miners Lift Shares; NextDC Jumps on Customer Wins

Wall Street Summary

Shares of smaller companies and those in cyclical industries like materials and energy that are less sensitive to interest rates rose in a quiet session Tuesday ahead of the release of the latest U.S. inflation data.

The $S&P 500 Index (.SPX.US)$ was nearly unchanged, shedding 0.17 point to close at 4108.94. Meanwhile, the Russell 2000 index climbed 14.15 points, 0.8%, to 1786.59, the second consecutive session that shares of smaller companies outperformed those of larger firms.

The $Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI.US)$ climbed 98.27 points, or 0.3%, to end at 33684.79. The $Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC.US)$ fell 52.48 points, 0.43%, to 12031.88.

AU Market Watch

$Nextdc Ltd (NXT.AU)$ shares are up 8.2 per cent to $12.03 in early trade after the data centre operator told the market new customer wins have increased demand at its Sydney data centres.

The $S&P/ASX 200 (.XJO.AU)$ is up 0.41 per cent thanks to gains among the tech and mining sectors. $BHP Group Ltd (BHP.AU)$, $Fortescue Ltd (FMG.AU)$ and $Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO.AU)$ are all higher, with NextDC helping the tech sector add 1.1 per cent.

$Whitehaven Coal Ltd (WHC.AU)$ is down 5 per cent to $6.60 after it cut production guidance for the March quarter and full financial year 2023. It also raised cost guidance and blamed operating problems at its Maules Creek min

Stocks to Watch

$Patriot Lithium Ltd (PAT.AU)$: Nicholas Vickery has officially started as chief executive at Canadian lithium explorer Patriot Lithium.

The company now has 10 lithium projects across the United States and Canada, including its Keystone and Tinton projects in South Dakota.

$WAM Capital Ltd (WAM.AU)$: WAM Leaders, the large-cap fund run by Geoff Wilson's eponymous investment management group, is raising $100 million through a placement of 67.6 million shares to wholesale investors.

The fund's shares entered trading halt on Wednesday morning.

$Macquarie Group Ltd (MQG.AU)$: Macquarie Group is considering selling a portfolio of nine highway projects in India and may seek at least $US1.5 billion ($2.3 billion), according people familiar with the situation.

The firm was in preliminary discussions with advisers about the potential deal, the people said. They asked not to be identified discussing a private matter.