ASX 200: Soul Patts, Brickworks in $14bn merger; Trump trade uncertainty rises; GDP, RBA minutes in focus
House prices and auction clearances rose in May. 25 years late, but corporate raider happy with Washington H Soul Pattinson move on Brickworks. Billionaire's $1bn-plus gaming bid.
That's all from the Trading Day blog for Monday, June 2. The ASX 200 closed down 0.2 per cent at 8114.4 in quiet trading while US futures dived after President Trump said he will double US steel and aluminium tariffs to 50 per cent from Wednesday.
The Dow Jones index finished 0.1 higher on Friday, but up 3.9 per cent for May. The Nasdaq closed 0.3 per cent lower, a gain of 10 per cent in May. The S&P 500 closed flat, but up 6 per cent for the month.
Cryptocurrency giant bitcoin is around $US104,900.
The Aussie dollar is trading around US64.52c.
More Coverage
Originally published as ASX 200: Soul Patts, Brickworks in $14bn merger; Trump trade uncertainty rises; GDP, RBA minutes in focus
Qantas and Virgin duopoly safe as aircraft shortages ground competition
Rising costs, aircraft shortages and industry consolidation are making it virtually impossible for new airlines to challenge Qantas and Virgin’s dominance of the domestic market.
Surprising Aussie benefit of Trump trade
Australia could be one of the few countries that benefits from the fallout of US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy.