AAP

The S&P 500 briefly surpassed the 6000 mark and closed with its biggest weekly percentage gain in a year.

The ASX climbed for its third day in a row on hopes of stimulus from Beijing and a US central bank cautious when queried on the inflationary outlook under a second Trump presidency.

US stocks closed higher after the Federal Reserve announced an interest rate cut, extending a sharp rally sparked by Donald Trump's return as US president.

The local bourse has bounced around as traders digested the implications of former president Donald Trump's return to the White House for Australian companies.

The competition watchdog has approved the $8.8 billion merger of pharmacy businesses Chemist Warehouse and Sigma Health, after deciding it won't hamper consumer choice.

The Australian share market finished in the black as counting continues in the US presidential election.

UPDATE: Republican former president Donald Trump has claimed victory in the US presidential election in a stunning political comeback.

While the presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump heads to an uncertain finish, exit polls show most US voters say democracy is in danger.

US stocks closed higher overnight in a broad rally after data signalled a solid economy.

The ASX200 has ended 0.4 per cent lower with financials and consumer stocks among the major losers.

American stock indexes traded flat to lower as investors braced for a pivotal week for global markets in which the US will elect a new president.

The ASX200 has posted gains while investors wait for the outcome of the Reserve Bank meeting and any hints of when interest rates might be cut.

Wall Street's major indexes ended higher on Saturday morning, rebounding from the previous day's sell-off as Amazon's strong earnings countered a significant drop in US job growth in October.

The ASX200 has fallen 0.5 per cent after worrying earnings forecasts from US tech stocks and diminishing rate cut hopes in Europe dampened risk sentiment.

Major US stock indexes closed lower overnight after both Microsoft and Meta Platforms highlighted growing artificial intelligence costs that could hit their earnings.

The ASX200 has finished Thursday down 0.3 per cent to record its biggest monthly drop since April, with supermarkets Woolworths and Coles leading the fall.

US stock indexes closed lower overnight as chip stocks tumbled and investors awaited a host of corporate earnings.

The ASX200 finished 0.8 per cent lower after a fall in headline inflation to within the Reserve Bank's target range failed to impress investors.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed higher overnight while the Dow fell in choppy trading as investors digested a host of corporate earnings and awaited Google-parent Alphabet's results after the market close.

The ASX200 has gained a modest 0.3 per cent, led higher by consumer discretionary, technology and mining.

Wall Street closed higher overnight ahead of a packed week of earnings from megacap companies and the final stretch before the US presidential election.

The ASX200 finished 0.1 per cent higher, with far more volatility expected later amid interest rate decisions, inflation readouts and a US election.

A pay rise for thousands of miners is in the sights of the prime minister, as unions urge heavyweights in the sector not to advocate the rolling back of workplace reforms.

The ASX200 finished less than a 10th of a percentage point higher, with Tuesday's big loss putting it in the red for both the week and the month.

Qantas is hoping to win over workers as some of its engineers take industrial action over pay.

The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 gained overnight – driven by Tesla's positive earnings forecast and a decline in treasury yields from a three-month high.

The ASX200 has finished the day slightly down, with bigger companies doing better than smaller ones.

Wall Street stocks closed lower on Wednesday (Thursday morning WST), as climbing treasury yields pressured mega-cap stocks and investors grew less confident about strong rate cuts from the federal reserve.

The ASX200 finished 0.1 per cent higher, recouping just a fraction of Tuesday's 1.7 per cent drop, its worst performance since early September.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq gained ground to end a choppy session up in the US, as Treasury yields retreated and investors awaited more earnings to assess the health of American companies.

Every sector of the ASX has lost ground as Australian shares tumbled in their worst collective daily loss since early September.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 closed lower on Monday (Tuesday morning WST), retreating from Friday's record high closes and six straight weekly gains.