On Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again and pushed higher. The benchmark index ended the day up 0.2% at 7,503 points.
Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:
ASX 200 futures pointing higher
The Australian share market is expected to continue its positive run on Wednesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 18 points or 0.25% higher this morning. This follows a decent night of trade on Wall Street, which saw the Dow Jones rise 0.1%, the S&P 500 climb 0.15%, and the Nasdaq push 0.5% higher.
Afterpay and Zip full year results
The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price and the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price will be on watch today when the two buy now pay later (BNPL) providers hand in their full year results. While both companies have pre-released much of their numbers, there will still be a lot to look out for. This includes their losses for the year and their expansion plans for FY 2022.
Oil prices rise gain
It could be a good day for energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices rose again. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 3.1% to US$67.68 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 3.5% to US$71.20 a barrel. Oil prices pushed higher in response to U.S. regulators issuing their first full approval for a COVID-19 vaccine.
WiseTech Global full year results
The WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) share price could be on the move today when it releases its full year results. In February, the logistics solutions platform provider provided guidance for full year revenue of $470 million to $510 million and EBITDA of $165 million to $190 million. This represents year on year growth of 9% to 19% and 30% to 50%, respectively.
Gold price edges lower
Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) could have a subdued day on Wednesday after the gold price edged lower. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down slightly to US$1,806.1 an ounce. Traders appear undecided whether a spike in COVID cases globally will delay the Federal Reserve's tapering plans.
