S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) (ASX:XJO) closed only 0.2 points shy of the 6,000 market rounding out its strongest day of trade this week.
4.10pm: ASX 200 closes up 0.8%
The ASX 200 closed up 48.9 points or 0.8% to 5,999.8.
The market turbulence earlier this month saw the ASX 200 fall from 6,121.4 on 2 February down to as low as 5786.8 on 9 February.
Today's close at 5,999.8 means we have regained 63.7% of those losses.
Chartists that follow Fibonacci patterns know that 61.7% is a key level of either resistance or support.
12.34pm: ASX 200 up 0.6%
The ASX 200 is trading up 0.6% or 35.6 points higher to 5,986.5.
The high for the day so far came just after midday at 5,998.9.
Investors are cheering results today from MYX (+6%), AGO (+4%), REG (+6%) and NXT (+17%).
[VIDEO] Mid-Session 23 Feb 18: Buyers pushed the ASX 200 higher by 0.5% at lunchtime helped by gains for bank, mining and energy stocks https://t.co/Umn9xrUDdc #ausbiz
— CommSec (@CommSec) February 23, 2018
10.12am: ASX 200 up 0.4%
The ASX 200 is trading up 0.4% or 25.8 points to 5,976.7.
Pre-market wrap: S&P/ASX 200 set to open higher, US closes in the black
The ASX 200 was set to open higher this morning as the ASX 200 futures were trading ~30 points higher than where they were at yesterday’s close.
The Dow Jones (INDEXDJX:DJI) finished higher on Wednesday (last night) up 0.66% to 25,962.
The AUDUSD is up 0.51% to 0.7844.
Gold remained largely flat over the past 24 hours of trade US$1,332 while WTI Crude Oil put on 1.65% to US$62.70 per barrel.
ORE, PLS, MYX, AGO, REG, NXT and WOW report today
Companies of note reporting results today include:
• Orocobre Limited (ASX:ORE);
• Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS);
• Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (ASX:MYX);
• Atlas Iron Limited (ASX:AGO);
• Regis Healthcare Ltd (ASX:REG);
• Nextdc Ltd (ASX:NXT); and
• Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX:WOW).
Upcoming economic data: FOMC members speaking
There are no expected economic data releases of major significance today in Australia.
Tonight, three members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) are expected to speak.
Two at the United States Monetary Policy Forum, in New York and one at the at the City Club of Los Angeles.
Federal Reserve FOMC members vote on where to set the nation's key interest rates and their public engagements are often used to drop subtle clues regarding future monetary policy.
The FOMC consists of 12 members, the seven members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York; and four of the remaining eleven Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.