On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a disappointing session and sank deep into the red. The benchmark index fell 1.3% to 8,629 points.
Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:
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ASX 200 expected to fall
The Australian share market looks set to fall again on Friday following a poor night in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 21 points or 0.25% lower this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is down 1.5%, the S&P 500 is down 1.45% and the Nasdaq is down 1.7%.
Oil prices jump
It could be a strong finish to the week for ASX 200 energy shares such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) after oil prices jumped. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 9.6% to US$95.61 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 9.45% to US$100.62 a barrel. Oil prices surged after Iran's supreme leader said that the Strait of Hormuz must remain closed.
ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend
A number of ASX 200 shares will be going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. This includes auto listings company CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR), quick service restaurant operator Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG), and logistic solutions company WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC). CAR Group will be paying a partially franked 42.5 cents per share dividend next month on 13 April.
Gold price falls
ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) could have a subdued finish to the week after the gold price fell overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 1.5% to US$5,100.3 an ounce. A stronger US dollar weighed on the precious metal.
Buy Liontown shares
Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares are good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating on the lithium miner's shares with a $2.42 price target. It said: "LTR is now in a net cash position. Over FY26-27, LTR will continue to ramp up and de-risk Kathleen Valley. With current lithium price strength, LTR can rapidly generate cash to support incremental production expansions and shareholder returns. Kathleen Valley is highly strategic in terms of scale, long project life and location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction. LTR has offtake contracts with top-tier EV and battery OEMs. The company has a strong balance sheet with long tenor debt finance."
