Wednesday 3rd December 2025
Daily Market Update: 04 December 2025
Market edges higher on soft GDP data
The Australian share market nudged higher on Wednesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rising 15.5 points, or 0.2 per cent, to close at 8,595.2. The lift followed weaker-than-expected third-quarter GDP figures showing the economy grew just 0.4 per cent, sparking initial speculation that the Reserve Bank of Australia may delay future rate hikes. While bond markets had largely priced out cuts due to sticky inflation, the latest data has lowered expectations of a near-term rate rise, with the next move now widely expected in 2026. Real estate and utility sectors led gains, buoyed by investor confidence that slower economic growth could ease central bank tightening.
Stock movers and sector trends
Among standout performers, WiseTech Global Limited (ASX: WTC) jumped 4.5 per cent to $72.58 following a favourable investor day presentation on its new pricing model. In contrast, Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) sank 6 per cent despite a Black Friday transactions lift, with other tech names including Megaport Limited (ASX: MP1) and Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) also retreating. AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) gained 3 per cent, leading utilities, while real estate stocks such as Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX), Scentre Group (ASX: SCG), and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) also rose. In company-specific news, Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) rallied 13 per cent on a US distribution deal, and 4DMedical Limited (ASX: 4DX) surged 16 per cent after expanding its agreement with Philips. Vulcan Energy Resources Limited (ASX: VUL) entered a trading halt after announcing a $2.2 billion funding package for its lithium and renewable energy project.
Global optimism on Fed easing hopes
Global equity markets advanced amid renewed optimism that the US Federal Reserve may ease monetary policy sooner than expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9 per cent, the S&P 500 climbed 0.3 per cent, and the Nasdaq Composite edged 0.2 per cent higher after weaker-than-forecast US private payroll data showed a 32,000 decline. This strengthened expectations for rate cuts, boosting financial stocks such as Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE: WFC) and Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C), both up 3.5 per cent, and UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE: UNH), which rose 4.7 per cent. Marvell Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MRVL) soared 7.9 per cent on upbeat AI-driven data centre guidance, while Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) fell 2.5 per cent amid initial reports of AI sales quota cuts, later denied by the company.
| Australian Indices | Daily % | Weekly % | 1 Month % | 3 Month % | 1 Year % |
| ASX 200 | 0.2 | -0.1 | -3.0 | -0.9 | 4.8 |
| Financials | 0.0 | -1.5 | -8.4 | -4.4 | 3.1 |
| Resources | 0.2 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 24.0 |
| Information Technology | -0.7 | -1.4 | -11.2 | -13.7 | -11.4 |
| Global Indices | Daily % | Weekly % | 1 Month % | 3 Month % | 1 Year % |
| US 500 | 0.3 | -0.6 | -0.9 | 5.7 | 11.0 |
| Europe | 0.2 | -0.5 | 0.9 | 4.5 | 22.7 |
| Japan | -0.1 | -1.0 | -2.3 | 5.3 | 15.7 |
| China top 50 | -1.3 | -0.6 | -1.5 | 1.7 | 30.4 |
| India top 50 | -0.9 | -2.4 | -1.1 | 2.0 | -2.6 |
| Fixed Interest | Daily % | Weekly % | 1 Month % | 3 Month % | 1 Year % |
| Australian Treasury Bond | -0.3 | -0.5 | -1.3 | -0.5 | 2.5 |
| Australian Corporate Bond | -0.3 | -0.5 | -1.3 | -0.4 | 3.2 |
| US Treasury | 0.0 | -0.5 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 4.0 |
| Cash | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 4.1 |
| Commodities & Crypto | Daily % | Weekly % | 1 Month % | 3 Month % | 1 Year % |
| Gold | -0.1 | 0.9 | 4.0 | 18.0 | 55.2 |
| Silver | 2.1 | 8.5 | 17.0 | 39.9 | 81.6 |
| Crude Oil | -1.1 | 1.2 | -2.6 | -5.5 | -1.6 |
| Bitcoin | 1.8 | 3.6 | -14.6 | -19.5 | -7.6 |
