Markets Today (02 October 2026) at Open: Kapitales Morning Highlights from Wall Street to ASX

Headline

• ASX 200 futures point to a stronger open, rising 45 points (+0.52%) as bond yields retreat from multi-decade highs.
• S&P 500 Snaps Three-Day Losing Streak as Treasury Yields Ease.
• Brent Crude Climbs Back Above US$102 as US-Iran Tensions Return to Focus.
• Trump Says Increased Strikes on Iran Are “Possible” After November Midterms.
• US 10-Year Treasury Yield Pulls Back from Its Highest Level Since 2002.
• Oil Markets Remain on Edge After Trump Rejects Tehran’s Hormuz Reopening Proposal.
• AI Deal Activity Stays in Focus as Anthropic Reportedly Targets a Mid-November IPO.
• Anthropic Prospectus Reportedly Reveals US$42 Billion Broadcom Financing Line.

Global Markets Overview

Global equity markets delivered a mixed performance, with Wall Street finishing modestly higher as major US benchmarks recovered from earlier weakness. The S&P 500 advanced, while the Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones also ended slightly in positive territory, reflecting a relatively cautious but constructive tone across US equities. European markets were weaker, with the FTSE 100 posting a notable decline as selling pressure weighed on large-cap shares. In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite also closed lower, extending the softer tone across parts of the developed markets.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Japan’s Nikkei stood out with a strong rally, significantly outperforming other major benchmarks and signalling renewed investor appetite for Japanese equities. India moved in the opposite direction, with its benchmark ending lower amid broader risk aversion. New Zealand’s NZX 50 also declined, reflecting softer market sentiment in the domestic New Zealand session. Overall, global markets remained uneven, with gains in the United States and Japan offset by weakness across the United Kingdom, Canada, India and New Zealand.

Commodities & Crypto

Commodity markets traded mixed, with precious metals and energy outperforming while industrial metals remained under pressure. Gold moved modestly higher as the pullback in bond yields supported demand for the non-yielding asset. Silver also advanced, benefiting from firmer sentiment across precious metals.

Oil was among the stronger performers, with WTI crude advancing as renewed geopolitical concerns lifted the risk premium across energy markets. Copper moved lower during the session, reflecting a cautious tone across industrial metals despite longer-term demand support from electrification and infrastructure development. Moreover, uranium also declined during the session, reflecting softer sentiment across the uranium market.

Bitcoin advanced, indicating firmer sentiment across digital assets during the session. Overall, commodity markets were mixed, with precious metals and oil advancing, while copper and uranium moved lower. Bitcoin also gained during the session.

Bond Yields

Global bond markets remained elevated, although yields eased from recent peaks in some major markets. Australia’s 10-year government bond yield moved lower, indicating renewed buying interest after the recent sharp sell-off in sovereign debt. Japan’s 10-year government bond yield remained elevated as investors continued to assess domestic inflation and the monetary policy outlook.

In the United States, Treasury yields retreated from multi-decade highs reached earlier, providing some relief to financial markets. The 10-year yield pulled back after recently reaching its highest level since 2002, while the 30-year yield also eased from its recent peak. Despite the retreat, US long-term borrowing costs remained historically elevated as investors continued to monitor inflation risks, Federal Reserve policy expectations and fiscal conditions. Overall, bond markets remained volatile, with the modest pullback in yields helping ease some of the pressure on global equities.

Key Drivers

• US equities recovered from early losses, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.2% and snapping a three-day losing streak.
• US Treasuries rebounded from the global bond sell-off, with the 2-year yield falling 10 bps to 4.79%.
• The US 10-year Treasury yield eased after recently climbing to levels not seen since 2002.
• The US Dollar Index extended its four-day advance, rising 0.5% to 102.
• Anthropic is reportedly targeting a mid-November IPO, with prospective investors indicating a US$1.8–US$2 trillion fair value.
• Micron guided fiscal Q1 revenue to about US$61.5 billion, above market estimates, as AI-driven memory demand remained strong.
• Nike reported weaker Q1 FY27 revenue, with Greater China sales falling 26%, while EPS exceeded estimates.
• Accenture’s fiscal Q4 revenue and EPS beat estimates, sending its shares sharply higher.
• Alphabet shares fell after Google launched Gemini 4 Argon, highlighting enhanced coding and cybersecurity capabilities.
• Broadcom agreed to lend Anthropic up to US$42 billion to support chip leasing, according to Anthropic’s IPO prospectus.
• The Pentagon may deploy an additional aircraft carrier and 10,000 personnel to the Persian Gulf, according to a US official.
• Trump said increased strikes on Iran are “possible” after November’s midterm elections.
• Trump rejected Tehran’s Hormuz reopening proposal, which sought concessions including an end to the US blockade of Iranian ports.
• PetroChina reportedly pulled several October fuel export cargoes as China seeks to preserve domestic inventories.
• Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari expects further rate hikes to restrain the US economy into 2027.
• BoE policymaker Catherine Mann said a rate hike is needed to address inflation risks and maintain policy credibility.
• US ISM manufacturing PMI eased in September, while the prices-paid gauge climbed to its highest level since May.
• US initial jobless claims fell to 197,000, while continuing claims dropped to a three-year low.
• Japan’s Tankan index for large manufacturers rose to its highest since March 2018, supporting the case for further BoJ rate increases.

ASX Company News

• Praemium Limited (ASX: PPS) announced a leadership transition, with Anthony Wamsteker resigning as Chief Executive Officer and director with immediate effect. Current Chief Commercial Officer Denis Orrock has been appointed Acting CEO, while the Board will conduct a formal external and internal search for a permanent CEO. Orrock’s total fixed remuneration as Acting CEO will be AU$765,900.
• Artrya Limited (ASX: AYA) signed a five-year commercial agreement with Huntsville Hospital Health System for its Salix® platform, marking its first conversion of a SAPPHIRE Study participant into a commercial customer and its fourth US commercial customer. The agreement carries a minimum contracted value of US$0.5 million for Salix® Coronary Anatomy, with additional fee-per-scan revenue potential from Salix® Coronary Plaque and, once FDA cleared, Salix® Coronary Flow. The platform will be deployed across applicable clinical workflows within HH Health’s 15-hospital network.

Stocks trading ex-dividend today

• NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH) – AU$0.145.
• Steamships Trading Company Limited (ASX: SST) – AU$0.093.

Key Economic Drivers (What to Watch Today)

• 7:00 pm AEST – European Inflation Rate: Markets will monitor the latest inflation reading for signals on price pressures and the outlook for European monetary policy.
• 10:30 pm AEST – US Non-Farm Payrolls and Unemployment Rate: The US employment report will be closely watched for indications of labour-market strength and its potential implications for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate outlook.

Summary

• ASX 200 futures point to a stronger open, rising 45 points (+0.52%).
• S&P 500 snapped a three-day losing streak, recovering from early losses as Treasury yields eased.
• US 10-year Treasury yield retreated from its highest level since 2002, providing some relief to global markets.
• US Dollar Index extended its four-day advance, rising 0.5% to 102.
• Brent crude climbed back above US$102, as renewed US-Iran tensions lifted geopolitical risk.
• Trump said increased strikes on Iran are “possible” after November’s midterm elections.
• Anthropic reportedly targets a mid-November IPO, with prospective investors indicating a US$1.8–US$2 trillion fair value.
• Broadcom agreed to lend Anthropic up to US$42 billion to support chip leasing, according to Anthropic’s IPO prospectus.
• Micron issued stronger-than-expected fiscal Q1 revenue guidance, supported by AI-driven memory demand.
• US Non-Farm Payrolls and unemployment data are due at 10:30 pm AEST, putting the US labour market and Fed rate outlook in focus.

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