ASX 200 Preview: Futures Point Lower After U.S. Pullback

1. ASX Futures Indicate a Weaker Open

The ASX 200 is expected to open in negative territory today, with SPI futures down ~19 points to 8,930. This follows overnight weakness in U.S. equities as Wall Street paused after Powell-led optimism last week.

2. Wall Street Gives Back Ground

U.S. stocks dipped as investors consolidated gains:

Dow Jones -0.77% to 45,282

S&P 500 -0.43% to 6,439

Nasdaq Composite -0.22% to 21,449

Markets had rallied sharply on Friday on expectations of a September rate cut, but profit-taking set in as traders reassessed the outlook.

3. Commodity Watch

Uranium (Sprott Junior Uranium Miners Index) climbed +2.13% to 1,471, extending its breakout momentum.

Zinc advanced +1.35% to US$2,783/t, reversing last week’s softness.

Gold eased slightly to US$3,354/oz, holding steady near consolidation levels.

Oil (Brent) hovered around US$67–68/bbl, showing resilience above key support.

Iron ore was steady at US$101/t, leaving miners in focus.

4. Corporate Earnings in Focus

On the corporate front, today’s earnings calendar is packed with key names across resources, retail, and financials. Results are due from Fortescue Metals (FMG), Coles Group (COL), Scentre Group (SCG), AUB Group (AUB), and Viva Energy (VEA). Investors will also be watching updates from West African Resources (WAF), Austal (ASB), Ingenia Communities (INA), and Mader Group (MAD). Together, these reports will provide fresh insights into the performance of Australia’s mining, energy, retail, and financial sectors, setting the tone for market moves through the session.

5. Economic Calendar

Key economic events today:

Australia Consumer Confidence (Aug, 10:30 am AEST)

Canada Inflation (Jul, 10:30 pm AEST)

U.S. Housing Starts & Building Permits (Jul, 10:30 pm AEST)

Locally, confidence data will gauge household sentiment amid cost-of-living pressures..

6. Ex-Dividend Watch

Several names trade ex-dividend today, including:

AGL Energy (AGL) – $0.25

Bega Cheese (BGA) – $0.06

Challenger (CGF) – $0.15

Deterra Royalties (DRR) – $0.13

Plus smaller payouts from Eureka (EGH), HMC Capital (HMC), Redox (RDX)

This could create stock-specific pressure despite broader market moves.

Kapitales Research Take

The ASX 200 is set for a softer open as futures mirror Wall Street’s pullback. A strong reporting calendar (Fortescue, Coles, Viva, Scentre) will dominate local trade, while uranium and zinc strength highlight ongoing interest in resources. Macro drivers include Australia’s consumer confidence and U.S. housing data later tonight. Markets remain cautious as investors balance last week’s Powell optimism with near-term consolidation.

Customer Notice:

Nextgen Global Services Pty Ltd trading as Kapitales Research (ABN 89 652 632 561) is a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR No. 1293674) of Enva Australia Pty Ltd (AFSL 424494). The information contained in this website is general information only. Any advice is general advice only. No consideration has been given or will be given to the individual investment objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. The decision to invest or trade and the method selected is a personal decision and involves an inherent level of risk, and you must undertake your own investigations and obtain your own advice regarding the suitability of this product for your circumstances. Please be aware that all trading activity is subject to both profit & loss and may not be suitable for you. The past performance of this product is not and should not be taken as an indication of future performance.

Kapitales Research, Level 13, Suite 1A, 465 Victoria Ave, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia | 1800 005 780 | info@kapitales.com