Rate Hike Jitters and Earnings Divergence Define ASX Session

The ASX 200 futures point to a flat open, not a rout, despite the heavy inflation news. Wesfarmers delivered a headline profit of $2.9 billion, up 8.3%, showing its Bunnings and Kmart businesses are resilient enough to drive growth even as cost pressures mount. Nvidia’s record results and 4% rally in after-hours trade provide a crucial boost for sentiment toward tech-heavy portfolios, with the AI narrative still intact. For those betting on a soft landing, the market’s...