The ASX 200 dips but flips the script for the week, up 4.4% even as tech wreck continues. The S&P/ASX 200 closed 12.6 points lower, down 0.14%. The ASX 200 slipped slightly on Friday as traders pared risk ahead of weekend peace talks in Pakistan, capping a week that nonetheless delivered the market's biggest weekly gain since 2020. With the ceasefire still fragile and the Strait of Hormuz far from fully reopened, caution ruled the final session — eight of eleven major sectors finished lower. In stock specific news, Telix Pharmaceuticals (+7.3%) saw its resubmitted application for a brain cancer imaging product accepted by the US regulator. AMP (+4.2%) flagged growth in its wealth division, expanded AI use, and tighter capital allocation. Magellan Financial (+1.2%) saw 92.28% of shareholders vote in favour of a $1.6 billion merger with Barrenjoey. Viva Energy (+0.4%) received federal environmental approval for its proposed LNG import terminal in Geelong. Life360 (-3.3%) flagged job cuts as it reshapes its business around an AI-led strategy. Whitehaven Coal (-3.2%) saw easing geopolitical risk weigh on coal as an oil alternative, despite the company refinancing acquisition debt via a new US$600 million syndicated facility. The Gold Sub-Index (-0.6%) ebbed as COMEX gold futures slipped 0.9% to US$4,775/oz, with Bellevue Gold (-3.2%) and Ramelius Resources (-3.2%) among the harder-hit names after the sector's heroics earlier in the week. Resources (-0.6%) drifted lower, led by iron ore stocks despite the SGX benchmark iron ore futures recovering 0.7% to US$103.60/t. Base metals on the LME overnight were generally lower, though COMEX copper futures edged up 0.4% to US$5.78/lb. In other commodities moves, COMEX silver futures fell 1.0% to US$75.65/oz, while GFEX lithium carbonate futures in China firmed 0.8% to 155,400 CNY/t. The best blue chip gainers included Telix Pharmaceuticals (+7.3%), AMP (+4.2%), Vicinity Centres (+3.2%), ASX (+2.2%), Bluescope Steel (+2.0%), Medibank Private (+1.6%), Perseus Mining (+1.4%), Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (+1.3%), Stockland (+1.2%), Suncorp (+1.2%), PLS Group (+1.1%), Qantas Airways (+1.1%), South32 (+1.1%), GPT (+1.1%), Charter Hall (+1.1%), Dexus (+1.0%), Mirvac (+0.9%), Scentre (+0.9%), Insurance Australia (+0.8%), and Treasury Wine Estates (+0.8%). The worst blue chip losers included Life360 (-3.3%), Whitehaven Coal (-3.2%), Ramelius Resources (-3.2%), Evolution Mining (-2.7%), Xero (-2.7%), Wisetech Global (-2.6%), Amcor (-2.0%), Transurban (-1.9%), Challenger (-1.6%), Ramsay Health Care (-1.5%), Fortescue (-1.3%), W.H. Soul Pattinson (-1.2%), Resmed (-1.2%), Seek (-1.2%), Dyno Nobel (-1.2%), Regis Resources (-1.1%), Brambles (-1.1%), BHP (-1.1%), Westgold Resources (-1.0%), Woolworths (-0.9%), and BHP (-1.1%). The Nasdaq Composite Index analysis revealed a predominantly demand-side nature in price action, with rising peaks and troughs, and a key zone of supply at 22570-23321. The short- and long-term trend ribbon combo is now the key zone of demand, with a test and hold of that range confirming demand-side control. The ASX 200 analysis showed a healthy demand-side control, with a test and hold of the trend ribbons required for further growth. The key levels are 9201 for supply and 8665-8742 for demand. The economy saw CHN March Inflation Data with Consumer Price Index (+1.0% p.a.) and Producer Price Index (+0.5% p.a.). The latest news included interesting movers such as 4DMEDICAL (+8.1%), Telix Pharmaceuticals (+7.3%), Minerals 260 (+5.4%), Southern Cross Electrical Engineering (+4.1%), Core Lithium (+3.5%), Boss Energy (+2.8%), Liontown (+2.4%), Paladin Energy (+2.0%), and others. Trading lower included Orora (-9.5%), Bapcor (-5.0%), Accent Group (-4.9%), Elsight (-4.5%), Super Retail (-4.0%), Champion Iron (-3.9%), BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (-3.8%), Stanmore Resources (-3.4%), Nuix (-3.4%), Life360 (-3.3%), Whitehaven Coal (-3.2%), Yancoal Australia (-3.0%), Xero (-2.7%), New Hope Corp. (-2.6%), Wisetech Global (-2.6%), Harvey Norman (-2.3%), Temple & Webster (-2.3%), and others. Broker moves included various price targets and recommendations for companies like Ama Group, Airtasker, ASX, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, and others.
