Markets Overview

  • ASX SPI 200 futures down 0.2% to 7,517.00
  • Dow Average up 0.7% to 36,829.93
  • Aussie up 0.7% to 0.7237 per US$
  • U.S. 10-year yield rose 3.6bps to 1.6647%
  • Australia 3-year bond yield rose 23bps to 1.14%
  • Australia 10-year bond yield rose 8bps to 1.75%
  • Gold spot up 0.7% to $1,814.95
  • Brent futures up 1.4% to $80.08/bbl

Economic Events

  • 11:30am: (AU) Dec. ANZ Job Advertisements MoM, prior 7.4%

U.S. stocks slipped from an all-time high after worries over rising interest rates sparked a selloff in tech shares. Treasuries fell and the yen dropped to the lowest since 2017.

The S&P 500 was little changed Tuesday as data showed mixed signs on U.S. inflation ahead of three expected rate hikes from the Federal Reserve this year. Prices paid by manufacturers in December came in sharply lower than expected, adding to signs inflationary pressure may have peaked in some areas. However, data showing a record U.S. job quit rate added to concerns over wage inflation.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 fell 1.3% with Tesla Inc. shedding 4.2%. Cathie Wood’s flagship ARK Innovation ETF plunged 4.4% and a fund tracking newly public companies dropped 4.0%. The losses came as a rout in U.S. bonds continued Tuesday with the 10-year Treasury yield up two basis points to 1.65% after surging 12 basis points on Monday.

Other News

A lot happened in 2021. Some of it broke world records, inspired creativity and revealed wonder.

Guinness World Records told USA TODAY as of September 2021 there were 58,000 verified entries this year, according to a spokesperson. Guiness World Records receives about 1,000 entries a week that are later verified.

Some people spent the year pushing their talents to the limits. In Demark, Dutch creator Wilfred Stijger and 30 sand sculptors designed the world’s biggest sandcastle, more than 69 feet tall. In Vermont, a woman became the record holder for most consecutive days to run a marathon distance after running 95 marathons in 95 days.

Three days before she turned 100, a great-great-grandmother from Florida became the oldest competitive female powerlifter.

“We all just do our thing … and show the world what we can do,” she told USA TODAY.