ASX 200 eyes new peak; Myer profit slides; Super Retail lawsuit; Dow, S&P hit records as US techs surge

Myer cuts dividends, will retain fashion brands. Macquarie's big US regulatory settlement. Super Retail reviewing second ex-staffer's claims in ongoing workplace lawsuit. Bank of England holds rates. Bank of Japan decision to come.

Belated big gains on Wall Street have followed the US Fed Reserve's shift to easing with a 50 basis point rate cut. Picture: Sergio Dionisio/Bloomberg

Welcome to the Trading Day blog for Friday, September 20. ASX 200 to hit new record after Wall Street's rally. Myer cuts dividends, will retain fashion brands. Macquarie's big US regulatory settlement. Super Retail reviewing second ex-staffer's claims in ongoing workplace lawsuit. Bank of England holds rates. Bank of Japan decision to come.

ASX 200 futures are up 0.4 per cent to 8281 points after the US session ended. The index closed at an all-time high of 8191.90 points on Thursday after strong August jobs data.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 added 1.7 per cent, closing above 5700 points for the first time; the Dow Jones index rose 1.3 per cent, about 520 points, crossing 42,000 points. Nasdaq jumped 2.5 per cent to more that 18,000 points.

US 10-year bond yields lifted to 3.72 per cent following the US central bank's jumbo 50 basis points rate cut a day earlier.

The oil prices rollercoaster ride continues with gains of nearly 2 per cent for the global benchmark Brent crude near $US74.85 per barrel and the US WTI at $US71.16 per barrel.

Gold futures near new highs near $US2611.85 per ounce.

Iron ore futures on the Singapore exchange closed near $US92.70 per tonne.

The Aussie dollar is trading around US68.14c.