On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.3% to 7,848.5 points.
Will the market be able to build on this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:
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ASX 200 expected to tumble
The Australian share market looks set for a disappointing session on Thursday following a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 64 points or 0.8% lower this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones was down 1.1%, the S&P 500 fell 0.95%, and the Nasdaq tumbled 0.85%. Hotter than expected US inflation weighed on the market.
Oil prices rebound
ASX 200 energy shares including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good session after oil prices rebounded overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.25% to US$86.29 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.25% to US$90.53 a barrel. Concerns over rising tensions in the Middle East drove prices higher.
Dividend payday
Today is yet another big day for Aussie investors with a number of ASX 200 shares distributing their latest payouts to their shareholders. Among the companies that are paying dividends today are logistic solutions companies Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB) and Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB), insurance giant Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN), and retail giant Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW). The latter is paying out a fully franked 47 cents per share dividend.
Gold price falls
It looks set to be a tough session for ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) after the gold price slumped overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.5% to US$2,351.7 an ounce. The precious metal fell from its record high following the release of US inflation data.
Buy Capricorn shares
The Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) share price is good value according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has responded to the gold miner's latest update by retaining its buy rating and lifting its price target to $6.15. This implies a potential upside of 15% from current levels. It commented: "CMM is a sector leading gold producer with a strong balance sheet, clear organic growth options and a management team with an excellent track record of delivery."
