plainmoney — Market brief — Thursday 06 Aug 2026 — 06:45 AEST
The straight answer
Wall Street was mixed overnight, with the S&P 500 down 0.2% and the Nasdaq falling 0.8%, while the Dow gained 0.5%. This sets the ASX 200 for a little-changed open today, but the Aussie dollar jumped 0.9% to 0.7060, mostly on a weaker US dollar.
What's moving markets
US equities saw a mixed session. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% to 7,723.5, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 0.8% to 26,363.4. The Dow, however, managed a 0.5% gain to 54,349.1. The VIX, a measure of market volatility, dropped 4.2% to 15.8, suggesting a slight easing of investor anxiety despite the mixed equity performance. US 10-year bond yields held steady at 4.62%.
Gold had a strong night, jumping 5.2% to US$4,309.2. Crude oil prices were slightly down, with WTI crude falling 1.1% to US$74.9 and Brent crude down 0.2% to US$79.2. Copper gained 1.9% to 6.741. Bitcoin (AUD) rose 0.8% to 91,990, and Ethereum (AUD) was up 2.1% to 2,722.2.
For Australia: The ASX 200 is expected to open little changed, following the mixed lead from Wall Street. The Aussie dollar, however, gained 0.9% against the greenback to 0.7060, largely due to the US Dollar Index falling 0.2%. Iron ore prices were flat at US$93.7, which means little direct impact on the big miners at the open.
World & geopolitics
Global markets are stabilising as investors await key US data, per Meja. This sentiment is keeping a lid on major moves ahead of the US Non-farm payrolls report. Reuters also highlighted that "Semis fly again as AI capex shoots the moon," indicating that investment in AI infrastructure continues to drive global tech valuations, which can flow through to Australian companies involved in data centres, power, copper, and uranium.
What it means for your money
Your super will see a mixed global picture, with US tech shares down but broader markets showing some resilience. The stronger AUD also means your overseas investments are worth slightly less when converted back to Australian dollars.
Your cost of living for petrol is stable, with oil prices holding steady and the AUD strengthening slightly.
What to watch
The biggest event this week is US Non-farm payrolls, due this Friday (7 Aug), 10:30pm AEST. This jobs report is a major indicator for the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions.
Possible outcomes: If the jobs report comes in hotter than expected, it could signal a stronger US economy, potentially leading to higher US bond yields and a stronger US dollar. This would likely put downward pressure on the AUD and could weigh on global equities. If the report is softer, it might suggest a cooling economy, potentially leading to lower US yields, a weaker US dollar, and a stronger AUD.
The live indicator to watch is the US 10-year bond yield. If it starts to climb significantly after the release, it suggests a hot print; if it falls, a soft one.
Your call
The maths leans towards a cautious wait-and-see ahead of the US jobs data. The AUD's overnight strength is a positive, but the mixed Wall Street session shows underlying uncertainty. Keep an eye on the US 10-year bond yield after the Non-farm payrolls release — that's the one that will signal the market's read on the Fed's next move, and what it means for your super and the Aussie dollar.
Today's moves
The numbers
What's coming up
- 7Aug22:30US Non-farm payrolls USImpact: high
- 12Aug22:30US CPI USImpact: high
- 20Aug11:30AU Labour Force AUImpact: high
- 9Aug11:30China CPI/PPI CNImpact: medium
What we're watching
RBA cash-rate path
US Fed path
Iron ore & China demand
China property & stimulus
AU housing cycle
Yen carry & BoJ
AI capex cycle
Global risk regime
Sources
- Reserve Bank of Australia — tier A, free
- Yahoo Finance (via yfinance) — tier B, free
- CoinGecko — tier A, free
- Google News (RSS) — tier B, free
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