5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

It looks set to be a very busy day for the ASX 200…

Investor sitting in front of multiple screens watching share prices

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

On Wednesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) followed Wall Street's lead and dropped notably lower. The benchmark index fell 0.7% to 7,379.3 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rebound

The Australian share market looks set to bounce back on Thursday. 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 mixed night of trade on Wall Street which saw the Dow Jones fall 0.35%, the S&P 500 trade flat, and the Nasdaq jump 0.7%.

Oil prices rise

Energy producers such as Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) could have a positive day after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.8% to US$72.20 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 0.1% to US$74.55 a barrel. Oil prices pushed higher after US inventories declined.

Rio Tinto half year update

The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price will be on watch following the release of its half year results. The mining giant reported a 156% increase in underlying earnings to US$12.2 million. Rio Tinto also revealed a 262% jump in its free cash flow to US$10,181 million, allowing it to declare a massive US$5.61 per share interim dividend. While this fell short of Citi's estimates, it was ahead of what Goldman Sachs was expecting. Fellow iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) is due to release its Q4 update today.

Gold price rises

It could be a good day for gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.35% to US$1,806.3 an ounce. The gold price rose after the US Federal Reserve kept rates on hold at near zero.

NEXTDC expansion

Investors may want to keep an eye on the NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) share price today. This follows an after-hours announcement which reveals plans to expand further in Sydney. The data centre operator has secured a new data centre site in Western Sydney for $124 million. The company notes that this is a significant long-term expansion opportunity that will provide data centre services to Hyperscale Cloud Providers in a new Availability Zone within the Sydney market not currently serviced by its existing data centres.

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

More on Share Market News

A woman presenting company news to investors looks back at the camera and smiles.
Broker Notes

Bell Potter names the best ASX 200 stocks to buy in July

The broker is feeling bullish on these names this month. Let's find out why.

Read more »

A man looking at his laptop and thinking.
Share Market News

5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

Here's what to expect on the benchmark index today.

Read more »

A woman sits in a quiet home nook with her laptop computer and a notepad and pen on the table next to her as she smiles at information on the screen.
Opinions

2 top ASX passive income stocks to buy with $5,000 today

I think these leading ASX passive income shares will keep delivering market beating yields in FY 2026.

Read more »

Happy man working on his laptop.
Share Gainers

Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

The ASX roared higher this hump day.

Read more »

Woman and man calculating a dividend yield.
Financial Shares

With a 3.8% dividend yield, does Macquarie rate QBE shares a buy, hold or sell?

Can QBE shares continue to outperform in FY 2026? Here’s Macquarie’s latest forecast.

Read more »

Delighted adult man, working on a company slogan, on his laptop.
Share Gainers

2 popular ASX 200 shares that returned 30%-plus in FY25

These popular stocks rewarded their owners in FY25.

Read more »

watch
Broker Notes

Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

Here's what brokers are recommending as buys this week.

Read more »

A young man goes over his finances and investment portfolio at home.
Broker Notes

Up 50% in a year, does Macquarie forecast further upside for Computershare shares?

Let's see what the broker is saying about this high-flying blue chip.

Read more »