The Australian share market or S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO) fell 0.1 per cent on Tuesday.
The ASX 200 came under pressure with a weaker energy sector, down 0.9 per cent, after OPEC+ cut its expectations for oil demand in 2023 and beyond. The Beach Energy (ASX: BPT) share price fell 2.8 per cent.
It was a similar story for the lithium sector, with broader commodities falling 1 per cent, but the likes of Core Lithium (ASX: CXO) and Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) falling 15 and 12 per cent, respectively. The key driver was concern over the long-term demand for the commodity as Chinese experts suggest it was set to fall from 2023.
AGL Energy (ASX: AGL) was the talk of the market with shares down 1.2 per cent on news that activist investor Mike Cannon-Brookes had successfully placed four directors on the board as he and a number of large shareholders continue to advocate for a new future for the business.
CBA profits on interest rates rise
Pushing the ASX 200 higher was Australia’s leading bank, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), which added 1.3 per cent after reporting a 2 per cent increase in quarterly profit to $2.5 billion.
CBA’s expenses rose some 4.5 per cent, however, a 9 per cent increase in revenue was able to offset this, on the back of above-system growth in lending, which grew $5.1 billion.
On the positive side, home loan arrears and bad debts remain muted, and the net interest margin is beginning to improve as rates rise.
Incitec Pivot (ASX: IPL) shares topped the market, gaining 5.9 per cent, after reporting a 45 per cent increase in revenue and a nearly 6x increase in earnings despite making the decision to delay the spinoff of the Dyno Nobel business. It was a similar story for United Malt Group (ASX: UMG) which delivered revenue growth of 13.9 per cent, benefitting from higher barley prices and a 23 per cent increase in earnings to $105 million.
Warren Buffett buys into TSMC
TSMC stock price
US stocks finished higher overnight despite another 8 per cent increase in producer inflation.
The Nasdaq 100 gained 1.5 per cent, the S&P500 0.9 per cent and the Dow Jones 0.2 per cent.
Walmart (NYSE: WMT) was a standout. WMT shares finished more than 6 per cent higher after reporting an 8.7 per cent increase in revenue, a significant beat on expectations, and same-store sales growth of 8.2 per cent.
Chinese stocks powered ahead with the likes of Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) gaining 11 per cent following President Joe Biden’s meeting with Xi Jinping that suggested recent political pressure may be easing. This was also supported by news that Warren Buffett had taken a US$5 billion stake in Taiwan Semiconductors on the view that the company was becoming cheap; TSMC shares gained more than 10 per cent.
