Trending On Livewire: Weekend Edition - Saturday 28th June
Virgin’s IPO soared, uranium stocks surged and markets shook off geopolitical noise as the ASX notched another win
It was another “duck week” on the ASX — quiet at the headline level, but with plenty of action beneath the surface. The index eked out a gain of less than half a percent, but that was enough to notch its ninth winning week from the past 11.
The week began on a sour note after the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, but markets rebounded sharply on Tuesday following news of a truce between Israel and Iran.
Virgin made its long-awaited ASX debut on Tuesday, closing at $3.23 — up 11% from its IPO price. Other new listings, including Greatland Resources and Infragreen, also jumped more than 10% on debut. Meanwhile, Xero raised $1.85 billion at a 9.4% discount to fund its $3.9 billion acquisition of New York-based Melio.
Despite the geopolitical tension, the path of least resistance remains upward. Investors are looking past the Middle East flare-up and focusing instead on rate-cut hopes, improving trade sentiment, and sheer momentum — with CBA now charging toward the $200 mark.
Enjoy your weekend.
Chris Conway, Managing Editor, Livewire Markets
Equities up, bonds behaving but what is the US dollar telling investors?
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Markets are forward looking, reflecting the views of millions of investors digesting information to guide asset prices. Despite the challenges of 2025, many markets are higher than where they began the year. The S&P 500 and ASX 200 have risen, and US 10-year bond yields are lower, suggesting growing confidence or comfort among investors. But not all signals point to strength. The US dollar, often seen as a safe haven, has fallen 10 percent this year. Fidelity International’s Chief Investment Officer of Equities, Niamh Brodie-Machura, believes this move warrants closer attention.
Should you sell your shares before EOFY?
As the end of the financial year approaches, investors naturally review their portfolios, celebrating winners and scrutinising underperformers. This often leads to a key question: should you sell or hold? While it may be easier to cut the losers, deciding whether to sell winning stocks is more complex. Some may have run their course; others might still offer upside. Importantly, EOFY decisions can carry meaningful tax implications. In this wire, Hugh Robertson, CEO of Centaur Financial Group, shares valuable insights on what investors should consider before selling, such as capital gains tax, timing strategies, and portfolio rebalancing, to ensure financial decisions made now support long-term wealth creation.
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Shouldn’t war drive a sustained flight to safety? The data suggests otherwise. Since 1991, the ASX 200 has delivered positive returns in the three months following the start of major conflicts 100% of the time, and the subsequent 12-month return averaged 13.2%. The strongest gain came after the Gulf War (+35.2%), while the Iraq War was the only instance of a negative return in the following year. To be clear, we’re not suggesting war is a catalyst for market strength. These outcomes reflect the broader economic context at the time. In most cases, the global economy was in good shape, and the conflicts had limited impact on GDP and corporate earnings on the aggregate. The exception being the Iraq War, which coincided with the bottoming of the tech wreck.
Vishal Teckchandani, Senior Editor, Livewire Markets
Weekly Poll
With headline inflation cooling to the lower end of the RBA’s 2–3% target band, is it time for the central bank to give us a break?
a) Yes, cut rates, lower my mortgage payments already!
b) No, the global economy is still too uncertain.
c) Wait, we need clarity on trade tensions and tariffs.
d) Yes, but it doesn’t mean they should; house prices will go higher!
LAST WEEKS POLL RESULTS
We asked "With market uncertainty swirling and the tariff saga far from over, what’s the #1 trait you’re looking for in stocks right now?"
The poll shows 49% prioritised strong free cash flow and dividends, 22% looked for defensive earnings, 19% favoured attractive valuations, and 9% focused on future growth reinvestment.
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