Aug 5, 2026 – 4.04amKey Posts7 mins ago — 4.00AMBefore the Bell: ASX to rise, S&P 500 resets record high23 mins ago — 3.44AMBlackstone pitches mega debt deal for Anthropic chip deal33 mins ago — 3.34AMFTSE 100 lifted by miners rally37 mins ago — 3.30AMS&P 500, Dow hit record highs41 mins ago — 3.25AMGood morningGo to latestPinned post – 4.00AMBefore the Bell: ASX to rise, S&P 500 resets record highTimothy MooreAustralian shares are set to open higher, catching a wave that lifted stocks in Europe and on Wall Street on hopes that a US-Iran deal on fully opening the Strait of Hormuz is imminent.In New York, both the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones reset their respective record highs on continuing strong earnings and a further rebound in the tech sector.ASX 200 futures were up 30 points or 0.3 per cent to 9120 near 4am AEST. The S&P 500 rallied 1.9 per cent near 2pm in New York, bolstered by a more than 4 per cent surge in the information tech sector. A key semiconductor index leapt 6.8 per cent.Market highlightsASX 200 futures are pointing up 30 points or 0.3 per cent to 9120.All US prices near 2pm New York time.AUD +0.6% to US70.41¢Bitcoin +0.3% to $US64,014On Wall St: Dow +1.9% S&P +1.9% Nasdaq +2.6%VIX +0.73 to 16.59Gold +0.8% to $US4085.89 an ounceBrent oil -5.3% to $US79.31 a barrelIron ore +0.2% to $US93.90 a tonne10-year yield: US 4.63% Australia 4.97%Today’s agendaReporting results on Wednesday: Light & WonderAs for data, it’s a big one for New Zealand with second-quarter employment change, unemployment rate and private wages at 8.45am AEST. BNZ is forecasting modest employment growth of 0.2 per cent quarter-over-quarter, and the unemployment rate to tick up to 5.4 per cent. Annual private sector wage cost inflation is seen steady at 2.0 per cent.Elsewhere, there is Japan wage data and China services PMI data. S&P Global will also release a mix of services and composite PMI data for Japan, the UK and the EU. Late in the day, the latest US private jobs report will be released by ADP.Top storiesKPMG hearing to investigate Macquarie, Westpac audit contracts | Senior leaders at Macquarie and Westpac have been asked to give evidence to a parliamentary committee examining the KPMG audit scandal.Major bird flu outbreak risks new inflation spike | The government confirmed the first Australian mass mortality event from the H5N1 virus as officials brace for the spread of the disease across the nation.‘Deeply misled’: Labor’s tech tax could cause job losses at Nine, News | The government’s revised plan to tax technology giants could lead to major cuts and job losses at Australia’s two biggest commercial news companies.Property price slide exposes political peril for Albanese government | As the sharpest housing market correction in almost four years gathers pace, the Albanese government is discovering that voters do not necessarily welcome falling values.Chanticleer: Wes Maas’ big AI bet a reminder to back the founder, or back off | From Bobcat operator to AI factory supplier, Wes Maas is backing his vision over market sceptics.Fetching latest articles