5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday 23 June 2021

5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

On Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was back on form and raced higher. The benchmark index jumped 1.5% to 7,342.2 …

James Mickleboro

Author Bio James Mickleboro is an investment writer and analyst who has worked with The Motley Fool Australia for 10 years, covering ASX shares, market news, broker research, dividends, growth stocks, and long-term investing ideas. Over that time, James has written extensively about Australian equities and developed a particular focus on helping everyday investors understand the stories behind share price moves, company announcements, broker views, and broader market trends. His best investment recommendation was identifying Afterpay while it was still a small-cap growth share, before its rise into one of Australia’s biggest technology success stories. His worst investment lesson came from CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), where he was burnt by believing management could turn the business around sooner than the market ultimately allowed. Areas of Expertise ASX shares Growth and dividend investing Broker research Interpreting company announcements Market news Portfolio strategy Long-term wealth creation Education Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics. CFA Institute Social Media LinkedIn James is the founder of Evermore Asset Management, which focuses on undercovered global stocks. Favourite Investment Quote "It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price." — Warren Buffett

Published June 23, 2021 6:32 am AEST

On Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was back on form and raced higher. The benchmark index jumped 1.5% to 7,342.2 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

Smiling man with phone in wheelchair watching stocks and trends on computer — Image Source: Getty Images

ASX 200 expected to edge lower

The Australian share market looks set to edge lower on Wednesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 5 points or 0.1% lower this morning. This is despite it being a positive night of trade on Wall Street, which saw the Dow Jones rise 0.2%, the S&P 500 climb 0.5%, and the Nasdaq storm 0.8% higher.

Oil prices soften

Energy producers such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) could trade lower on Wednesday after oil prices retreated. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.8% to US$73.08 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.1% to US$74.83 a barrel. This appears to have been driven by profit taking from some traders.

Tech shares could push higher

It could be a good day for tech shares such as Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Appen Ltd (ASX: APX). They could be on the rise today after the Nasdaq index stormed to a new record high. As the local tech sector tends to follow the Nasdaq's lead, this bodes well for today's trading session.

Gold price falls

Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) will be on watch after the gold price fell overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.3% to US$1,776.70 an ounce. Traders were selling the precious metal ahead of the release of a testimony from U.S. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. That testimony is expected to provide more clarity on monetary policy plans.

Iron ore price rebounds

After a tough couple of days, the iron ore price is rebounding, which could bode well for BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) shares today. According to Metal Bulletin, the spot iron ore price is up 3% to US$214.32 a tonne.

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