Broadcom fourth quarter and full-year results are here
Klavs Valters
14/1/2024
•
0 min read
Share this post
Copy URL
US technology giant and one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO), announced fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023 results after the market close in the US on Thursday. Company overview Founded: 1961 Headquarters: San Jose, California, United States Number of employees: 20,000 (2023) Industry: Semiconductor, computer software Key people: Henry Samueli (Chairman), Hock Tan (President and CEO) The results Broadcom reported revenue of $9.295 billion (up by 4% year-over-year) vs. $9.277 billion estimate. Earnings per share (EPS) also topped analyst estimates for the quarter at $11.06 per share vs. $10.96 per share expected.
Net revenue reached $35.819 bill for the full fiscal 2023, up by 8% from the year prior. EPS reached $32.94 per share, an increase of 24.31% year-over-year. CEO commentary "Broadcom's fiscal year 2023 revenue grew 8% year-over-year to a record $35.8 billion, driven by investments in accelerators and network connectivity for AI by hyperscalers," President and CEO of Broadcom, Hock Tan, highlighted the reasons for the successful year for the company. "The acquisition of VMware is transformational.
In fiscal year 2024 we expect semiconductor to sustain its mid to high single digit revenue growth rate, with the contribution of VMware driving consolidated revenue to $50 billion, and adjusted EBITDA to $30 billion," Tan concluded. Stock reaction Shares of Broadcom ended the day up by 2.06% on Thursday at $922.26 a share before the latest results were announced. The stock dipped by around 1% in the after-hours trading.
Stock performance 1 month: +0.32% 3 months: +6.69% Year-to-date: +63.53% 1 year: +72.16% Broadcom stock price targets Rosenblatt Securities: $1000 Oppenheimer: $1100 Susquehanna: $1100 KeyCorp: $1200 Evercore ISI: $1050 Truist Financial: $995 Benchmark: $950 TD Cowen: $900 Wells Fargo: $900 Mizuho: $960 Deutsche Bank: $950 Broadcom Inc. is the 20th largest company in the world with a market cap of $378.07 billion. You can trade Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) and many other stocks from the NYSE, NASDAQ, HKEX, ASX, LSE and DE with GO Markets as a Share CFD. GO Markets now offers pre-market and after-market trading on popular US Share CFDs.
Trade the pre-market session: 4:00am to 9:30am, normal session, and after-market session: 4:00pm to 8:00pm, Eastern Standard Time. Why trade during extended hours? Volatility never sleeps.
Trade over earnings releases as they happen outside of main trading hours Reduce your risk and hedge your existing positions ahead of a new trading day Extended trading hours on popular US stocks means extended opportunities Sources: Broadcom Inc., TradingView, MarketWatch, MarketBeat, Benzinga, CompaniesMarketCap
By
Klavs Valters
Account Manager, GO Markets London.
Artikel ini ditulis oleh analis dan kontributor GO Markets berdasarkan analisis independen atau pengalaman pribadi mereka. Pandangan, opini, atau gaya trading yang diungkapkan sepenuhnya merupakan milik penulis, dan tidak mewakili atau dibagikan oleh GO Markets. Setiap saran yang diberikan bersifat “umum” dan tidak mempertimbangkan tujuan, situasi keuangan, atau kebutuhan pribadi Anda. Sebelum mengambil tindakan berdasarkan saran tersebut, pertimbangkan apakah saran tersebut sesuai dengan tujuan, situasi keuangan, dan kebutuhan Anda. Jika saran tersebut berkaitan dengan perolehan produk keuangan tertentu, Anda harus memperoleh Pernyataan Pengungkapan (Disclosure Statement/DS) dan dokumen hukum lainnya yang tersedia di situs web kami sebelum membuat keputusan apa pun.
In 2025, the S&P 500 traded around 6,835 and was up approximately 16% year to date (YTD). Market direction remained most sensitive to Federal Reserve expectations, inflation data and the earnings outlook, with returns also shaped by mega-cap tech leadership and the broader AI narrative. The index pulled back from earlier December highs, but it has so far held above key major moving averages (MA).
Key 2025 drivers included:
Fed expectations and inflation: Inflation cooled through the year but remained sticky around 2.5% to 3%. A Fed easing bias likely supported price to earnings (P/E) multiples and “risk-on” positioning. More recently, markets appeared increasingly rate-sensitive, with the decreased likelihood of an additional rate cut until March 2026.
Earnings and guidance: Corporate earnings remained strong quarter on quarter. Recent Q3 results reportedly saw over 80% of the S&P 500 beat earnings per share (EPS) expectations. For Q4, the estimated year-over-year earnings growth rate is 8.1%, despite ongoing concerns around import tariffs and potential margin pressure.
Index leadership and breadth: Returns were heavily influenced by mega-cap tech and AI beneficiaries, even as broader market breadth appeared less consistent at points through the year.
Policy headlines and volatility: Trade and tariff headlines drove sharp moves, particularly earlier in the year. Some investors pointed to the “TACO” trade, with rapid recoveries after policy proposals were softened. Over time, similar shocks appeared to have less impact as the market became somewhat desensitised.
Valuations and sensitivity: The forward 12-month P/E ratio for the S&P 500 is 22, above the 5-year average (20.0) and above the 10-year average (18.7). That gap kept valuation sensitivity, especially in AI-linked names, firmly in focus.
Current state
The S&P 500 is about 1% below record highs hit earlier in December. That could indicate the broader uptrend remains in place, with a move back toward the recent highs one possible scenario if momentum improves. Despite the recent retracement, the index remains above all key major moving averages (MA). The latest bounce followed lower than expected CPI numbers earlier this week, alongside continued, and to some, surprising optimism about what may come next.
What to watch in January
Q4 earnings from mid-January: Results and guidance may help clarify whether valuations are being supported by forward expectations.
AI narrative and positioning: With AI-linked mega-caps carrying a large share of market capitalisation, changes in sentiment or expectations could have an outsized impact on index performance.
US jobs and CPI data: The latest US jobs report reportedly points to the highest headline unemployment rate since 2021. Cooling inflation this week may keep markets alert to shifts in rate cut timing, particularly around the March decision.
S&P 500 daily chart
Source: TradingView
Major FX pairs
Source: Adobe Images
AUD/USD
AUD/USD has been choppy in 2025. Since the “redemption day” drop in April, the move has looked more like a steady grind higher than a clean upside trend.
Key levels Recent peaks in early September and mid-December highlight resistance near 0.6625. Support has been evident around 0.6425, where price bounced over the last month.
What is supporting the bounce That support test coincided with stronger than expected jobs and inflation data, lifting expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may raise rates during 2026 rather than cut again. The latest pullback looks contained so far, with buying interest already visible and price still above key longer-term moving averages.
What could drive a breakout The pair remains range-bound, but the tilt is still constructive. If Chinese data stays firm, metals prices hold up, and the central bank outlook remains relatively hawkish, a break above resistance could gain more traction.
AUD/USD daily chart
EUR/USD
After early 2025 euro strength, EUR/USD has mostly consolidated since June in a roughly 270 pip range. This month tested 1.18 resistance, reaching highs not seen since September.
What price is doing now The recent pullback still lacks strong downside conviction. Some technical analysts refer to the 1.17 area as a near-term reference level.
What could come next If price holds 1.17 and buyers step back in, another push toward 1.18 is possible. One view is that the European Central Bank (ECB) could be less inclined to ease in 2026, which could be consistent with a firmer EUR/USD scenario. Broader analyst commentary also suggests the euro may stall rather than collapse against the US dollar, although outcomes remain data and policy dependent.
EUR/USD daily chart
USD/JPY
Year-to-date picture USD/JPY is close to flat overall for the year. After US dollar weakness in Q1, the pair reversed higher and now sits just below resistance near 158.
Rates remain the main driver Rate differentials still favour the US dollar. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) held steady for much of the period despite expectations it might act, and the recent rate increase was modest. Policy has only moved marginally away from zero.
What could shift the balance Rate differentials remain a key influence. Without a clearer shift in BOJ policy, the JPY may find it difficult to sustain a rebound. Some market commentators cite 154.20 as a chart reference level.
2025 has seen a material decline in the fortunes of the greenback. A technical structure breakdown early in the year was followed by a breach of the 200-day moving average (MA) at the end of Q1. The index then entered correction territory, printing a three-year low at the end of Q2.
Since then, we have seen attempts to build a technical base, including a re-test of the end-of-June lows in mid-September. However, buying pressure has not been strong enough to push price back above the technically critical and psychologically important 100 level.
What the levels suggest from here
As things stand, the index remains more than 10% lower for 2025. On this technical view, the index may revisit the 96 area. However, technical levels can fail and outcomes depend on multiple factors.
US dollar index
Source: TradingView
The key question for 2026
The key question remains: are we likely to see further losses in the early part of next year and beyond, or will current support hold?
We cannot assess the US dollar in isolation and any outlook is shaped by internal and global factors, not least its relative strength versus other major currencies. Many of these drivers are interrelated, but four potential headwinds stand out for any US dollar recovery. Collectively, they may keep downside pressure in play.
Four headwinds for any US dollar recovery
1. The US dollar as a safe-haven trade
One scenario where US dollar support has historically been evident is during major global events, slowdowns and market shocks. However, the more muted response of the US dollar during risk-off episodes this year suggests a shift away from the historical norm, with fewer sustained US dollar rallies.
Instead, throughout 2025, some investors appearedto favour gold, and at other times, FX and even equities, rather than into the US dollar. If this change in behaviour persists through 2026, it could make recovery harder, even if global economic pressure builds over the year ahead.
2. US versus global trade
Trade policy is harder to measure objectively, and outcomes can be difficult to predict. That said, trade battles driven by tariffs on US imports are often viewed as an additional potential drag on the US dollar.
The impact may be twofold if additional strain is placed on the US economy through:
a slowdown in global trade volumes as impacted countries seek alternative trade relationships, with supply chain distortions that may not favour US growth
pressure on US corporate profit margins as tariffs lift costs for importers
3. Removal of quantitative tightening
The Fed formally halted its balance sheet reduction, quantitative tightening (QT), as of 1 December 2025, ending a program that shrank assets by roughly US$2.4 trillion since mid-2022.
Traditionally, ending QT is seen as marginally negative for the US dollar because it stops the withdrawal of liquidity, can ease global funding conditions, and may reduce the scarcity that can support dollar demand. Put simply, more dollars in the system can soften the currency’s support at the margin, although outcomes have varied historically and often depend on broader financial conditions.
4. Interest rate differential
Interest rate differential (IRD) is likely to be a primary driver of US dollar strength, or otherwise, in the months ahead. The latest FOMC meeting delivered the expected 0.25% cut, with attention on guidance for what may come next.
Even after a softer-than-expected CPI print, markets have been reluctant to price aggressive near-term easing. At the time of writing, less than a 20% chance of a January cut is priced in, and it may be March before we see the next move.
The Fed is balancing sticky inflation against a jobs market under pressure, with the headline rate back at levels last seen in 2012. The practical takeaway is that a more accommodative stance may add to downward pressure on the US dollar.
Current expectations imply around two rate cuts through 2026, with the potential for further easing beyond that, broadly consistent with the median projections shown in the chart below. These are forecasts rather than guarantees, and they can shift as economic data and policy guidance evolve.
Source: US Federal Reserve, Summart of Economic Projections
The “Magnificent Seven” technology companies are expected to invest a combined $385 billion into AI by the end of 2025.
Microsoft is positioning itself as the platform leader. Nvidia dominates the underlying AI infra. Google leads in research. Meta is building open-source tech. Amazon – AI agents. Apple — on-device integration. And Tesla pioneering autonomous vehicles and robots.
The “Big 4” tech companies' AI spending alone is forecast at $364 billion.
With such enormous sums pouring into AI, is this a winner-take-all game?
Or will each of the Mag Seven be able to thrive in the AI future?
Microsoft: The AI Everywhere Strategy
Microsoft has made one of the biggest bets on AI out of the Mag Seven — adopting the philosophy that AI should be everywhere.
Through its deep partnership with OpenAI, of which it is a 49% shareholder, the company has integrated GPT-5 across its entire ecosystem.
Key initiatives:
GPT-5 integration across consumer, enterprise, and developer tools through Microsoft 365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, and Azure AI Foundry
Azure AI Foundry for unified AI development platform with model router technology
Copilot ecosystem spanning productivity, coding, and enterprise applications with real-time model selection
$100 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
Microsoft’s centrepiece is Copilot, which can now detect whether a prompt requires advanced reasoning and route to GPT-5's deeper reasoning model.
This (theoretically) means high-quality AI outputs become invisible infrastructure rather than a skill users need to learn.
However, this all-in bet on OpenAI does come with some risks. It is putting all its eggs in OpenAI's basket, tying its future success to a single partnership.
Elon Musk warned that "OpenAI is going to eat Microsoft alive"[/caption]
Google: The Research Strategy
Google’s approach is to fund research to build the most intelligent models possible. This research-first strategy creates a pipeline from scientific discovery to commercial products — what it hopes will give it an edge in the AI race.
Key initiatives:
Over 4 million developers building with Gemini 2.5 Pro and Flash
Ironwood TPU offering 3,600 times better performance compared to Google’s first TPU
AI search overviews reaching 2 billion monthly users across Google Search
DeepMind breakthroughs: AlphaEvolve for algorithm discovery, Aeneas for ancient text interpretation, AlphaQubit for quantum error detection, and AI co-scientist systems
Google’s AI research branch, DeepMind, brings together two of the world's leading AI research labs — Google Brain and DeepMind — the former having invented the Transformer architecture that underpins almost all modern large language models.
The bet is that breakthrough research in areas like quantum computing, protein folding, and mathematical reasoning will translate into a competitive advantage for Google.
Today, we're introducing AlphaEarth Foundations from @GoogleDeepMind , an AI model that functions like a virtual satellite which helps scientists make informed decisions on critical issues like food security, deforestation, and water resources. AlphaEarth Foundations provides a… pic.twitter.com/L1rk2Z5DKk
Meta has made a somewhat contrarian bet in its approach to AI: giving away their tech for free. The company's Llama 4 models, including recently released Scout and Maverick, are the first natively multi-modal open-weight models available.
Key initiatives:
Llama 4 Scout and Maverick - first open-weight natively multi-modal models
AI Studio that enables the creation of hundreds of thousands of AI characters
$65-72 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
This open-source strategy directly challenges the closed-source big players like GPT and Claude. By making AI models freely available, Meta is essentially commoditizing what competitors are trying to monetize. Meta's bet is that if AI models become commoditized, the real value will be in the infrastructure that sits on top. Meta's social platforms and massive user base give it a natural advantage if this eventuates.
Meta's recent quarter was also "the best example to date of AI having a tangible impact on revenue and earnings growth at scale," according to tech analyst Gene Munster.
H1 relative performance of the Magnificent Seven stocks. Source: KoyFin, Finimize
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Meta. Their most anticipated release, Llama Behemoth, has all but been scrapped due to performance issues. And Meta is now rumored to be developing a closed-source Behemoth alternative, despite their open-source mantra.
Amazon: The AI Agent Strategy
Amazon’s strategy is to build the infrastructure for AI that can take actions — booking meetings, processing orders, managing workflows, and integrating with enterprise systems.
Rather than building the best AI model, Amazon has focused its efforts on becoming the platform where all AI models live.
Key initiatives:
Amazon Bedrock offering 100+ foundation models from leading AI companies, including OpenAI models.
$100 million additional investment in AWS Generative AI Innovation Center for agentic AI development
Amazon Bedrock AgentCore enabling deployment and scaling of AI agents with enterprise-grade security
$118 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
The goal is to become the “orchestrator” that lets companies mix and match the best models for different tasks.
Amazon’s AgentCore will provide the underlying memory management, identity controls, and tool integration needed for these companies to deploy AI agents safely at scale.
This approach offers flexibility, but does carry some risks. Amazon is essentially positioning itself as the middleman for AI. If AI models become commoditized or if companies prefer direct relationships with AI providers, Amazon's systems could become redundant.
Nvidia: The Infra Strategy
Nvidia is the one selling the shovels for the AI gold rush. While others in the Mag Seven battle to build the best AI models and applications, Nvidia provides the fundamental computing infrastructure that makes all their efforts possible.
This hardware-first strategy means Nvidia wins regardless of which company ultimately dominates. As AI advances and models get larger, demand for Nvidia's chips only increases.
Key initiatives:
Blackwell architecture achieving $11 billion in Q2 2025 revenue, the fastest product ramp in company history
New chip roadmap: Blackwell Ultra (H2 2025), Vera Rubin (H2 2026), Rubin Ultra (H2 2027)
Data center revenue reaching $35.6 billion in Q2, representing 91% of total company sales
Manufacturing scale-up with 350 plants producing 1.5 million components for Blackwell chips
With an announced product roadmap of Blackwell Ultra (2025), Vera Rubin (2026), and Rubin Ultra (2027), Nvidia has created a system where the AI industry must continuously upgrade to Nvidia’s newest tech to stay competitive.
This also means that Nvidia, unlike the others in the Mag Seven, has almost no direct AI spending — it is the one selling, not buying.
However, Nvidia is not indestructible. The company recently halted its H20 chip production after the Chinese government effectively blocked the chip, which was intended as a workaround to U.S. export controls.
Apple: The On-Device Strategy
Apple's AI strategy is focused on privacy, integration, and user experience. Apple Intelligence, the AI system built into iOS, uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute to help ensure user data is protected when using AI.
Key initiatives:
Apple Intelligence with multi-model on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute
Enhanced Siri with natural language understanding and ChatGPT integration for complex queries
Direct developer access to on-device foundation models, enabling offline AI capabilities
$10-11 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
The drawback of this on-device approach is that it requires powerful hardware from the user's end. Apple Intelligence can only run on devices with a minimum of 8GB RAM, creating a powerful upgrade cycle for Apple but excluding many existing users.
Tesla: The Robo Strategy
Tesla's AI strategy focuses on two moonshot applications: Full Self-Driving vehicles and humanoid robots.
This is the 'AI in the physical world' play. While others in the Mag Seven are focused on the digital side of AI, Tesla is building machines that use AI for physical operations.
Tesla’s Optimus robot replicating human tasks
Key initiatives:
Plans for 5,000-10,000 Optimus robots in 2025, scaling to 50,000 in 2026
Robotaxi service targeting availability to half the U.S. population by EOY 2025
AI6 chip development with Samsung for unified training across vehicles, robots, and data centers
$5 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
This play is exponentially harder to develop than digital AI, and the markets have reflected low confidence that Tesla can pull it off.
TSLA has been the worst-performing Mag Seven stock of 2025, down 18.37% in H1 2025.
However, if Tesla’s strategy is successful, it could be far more valuable than other AI plays. Robots and autonomous vehicles could perform actual labour worth trillions of dollars annually.
The $385 billion Question
The Mag Seven are starting to see real revenue come in from their AI investments. But they're pouring that money (and more) back into AI, betting that the boom is just getting started.
The platform players like Microsoft and Amazon are betting on becoming essential infrastructure. Nvidia’s play is to sell the underlying hardware to everyone. Google and Meta compete on capability and access. While Apple and Tesla target specific use cases.
The $385 billion question is which of the Magnificent Seven has bet the right way? Or will a new player rise and usurp the long-standing tech giants altogether?
You can access all Magnificent Seven stocks and thousands of other Share CFDs on GO Markets.
Markets are navigating a familiar mix of macro and event risk with China growth signals, US inflation updates, central-bank guidance and earnings that will help confirm whether the growth narrative is broadening or narrowing.
At a glance
China: Q4 GDP + December activity + PBOC decision
US: PCE inflation (date per current BEA schedule)
Japan: BOJ decision (JPY/carry sensitivity)
Earnings: tech, industrials, energy, materials in focus
Gold: near record highs (yields/USD/geopolitics watch)
Geopolitics remain fluid. Any escalation could shift risk sentiment quickly and produce price action that diverges from current baselines.
China
China Q4 GDP: Monday, 19 January at 1:00 pm (AEDT)
Retail sales: Monday, 19 January at 1:00 pm (AEDT)
PBOC policy decision: Monday, 19 January at 12.30 pm (AEDT)
China’s Q4 GDP and December activity data, together with the PBOC decision, will shape expectations for China's growth momentum and the durability of policy support.
Market impact
Commodity-linked FX: AUD and NZD may react if growth expectations or the policy tone shifts.
Equities: The Shanghai Composite, Hang Seng and ASX 200 could respond to any change in how investors view demand and stimulus traction.
Commodities: Industrial metals and oil may move on any reassessment of China-linked demand.
US
PCE Inflation: Friday, 23 January at 2:00 am (AEDT)
PSI: Friday, 23 January at 2:00 am (AEDT)
S&P Flash (PMI): Saturday, 24 January at 1:45 am (AEDT)
Netflix: Tuesday, 20 January 2026 at 8:00 am (AEDT)
The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge and a key input for rate expectations and (by extension) Treasury yields, the USD, and growth stocks. Markets are likely to focus on whether the reading changes the inflation path that is currently priced, rather than simply matching consensus.
Market impact
USD: May move if rate expectations shift, particularly against JPY and EUR.
US equities: Growth and small caps, including the Nasdaq and Russell 2000, may be sensitive if the data or interpretation challenge the current rate outlook.
Gold futures: May be influenced indirectly via moves in Treasury yields and the USD.
Japan
Key reports
Inflation: Friday, 23 January at 10:30 am (AEDT)
Bank of Japan (BoJ) Interest Rate Meeting: Friday, 23 January at ~2:00 pm (AEDT)
Markets will focus on what the BOJ signals about inflation, wages and the policy path. A shift in tone can move JPY quickly and flow through to broader risk via carry positioning.
Market impact:
JPY/USD pairs and crosses: Pairs are sensitive to any guidance change and the USD/JPY has broken above 158, but the move could reverse if the BOJ strikes a more hawkish tone.
Japan equities and global sentiment: Could react if the dynamics shift.
Broader risk assets: May be influenced via moves in the USD and volatility conditions.
Netflix: Tuesday, 20 January 2026 at 8:00 am (AEDT)
Johnson & Johnson: Wednesday, 21 January at 10:20 pm (AEDT)
Intel Corporation: Thursday, 22 January at 8:00 am (AEDT)
A busy week of US earnings is expected with large-cap names across multiple sectors reporting. Early results and, importantly, forward guidance may help clarify whether growth is broadening or becoming more selective.
With the S&P 500 close to the psychological 7,000 level, earnings could be a catalyst for a fresh test of highs or a pullback if guidance disappoints.
Market impact
Upside scenario: Results that exceed expectations and are supported by steady guidance could support sector and broader market sentiment.
Downside scenario: Cautious guidance, particularly on margins and capex, could weigh on individual names and spill into broader indices if it becomes a repeated message.
Read-through: Early reporters in each sector may influence expectations for related stocks, especially where peers have not yet provided updated guidance.
Bottom line: This is a week where the market may trade the forward picture more than the rear-view numbers. The key is whether guidance supports the idea of broad, durable growth, or whether it points to a more selective backdrop as 2026 unfolds.
Continued strength in gold may support gold equities and gold-linked ETFs relative to the broader market but geopolitical developments and policy uncertainty may influence demand for defensive assets.
A sustained reversal in gold could be interpreted by some market participants as a sign of improved risk confidence. The driver set matters, especially whether the move is led by yields, USD strength, or a fade in event risk.
The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) is one of the world's top 20 exchanges, hosting over 2,000 listed companies worth approximately $2 trillion.
Quick Facts:
The ASX operates as Australia's primary stock exchange, combining market trading, clearinghouse operations, and trade and payment settlement.
It represents roughly 80% of the Australian equity market value through its flagship ASX 200 index.
2,000+ companies and 300+ ETFs are listed on the exchange, spanning from mining giants to tech innovators.
How does the ASX work?
The ASX combines three critical functions in one system.
As a market operator, it provides the electronic platform where buyers and sellers meet. Trading occurs through a sophisticated computer system that matches orders in milliseconds, replacing the traditional floor-based trading that once defined stock exchanges globally.
The exchange also acts as a clearinghouse, ensuring trades settle correctly. When you buy shares, the ASX guarantees the transaction completes, managing the transfer of securities and funds between parties.
Finally, it serves as a payments facilitator, processing the money flows that accompany each trade. This integrated approach reduces settlement risk and keeps the market running smoothly.
What are ASX trading hours?
The ASX operates from 10:00am to 4:00pm Sydney time (AEST/AEDT) on business days, with a pre-open phase from 7:00am.
Stocks open alphabetically in staggered intervals starting at 10:00am, followed by continuous trading until the closing auction at 4:00pm.
The exchange observes Australian public holidays and adjusts for daylight saving time between October and April, which can affect coordination with international markets.
ASX trading hours by time zone
Phase
Sydney (AEST)
Tokyo (JST)
London (BST)
New York (EDT)
Pre-Open
7:00am - 10:00am
6:00am - 9:00am
10:00pm - 1:00am
5:00pm - 8:00pm*
Normal Trading
10:00am - 4:00pm
9:00am - 3:00pm
1:00am - 7:00am
8:00pm - 2:00am*
Closing Auction
4:00pm - 4:10pm
3:00pm - 3:10pm
7:00am - 7:10am
2:00am - 2:10am
*Previous day. Note: Times shown assume daylight saving time in effect (AEST/BST/EDT). Japan does not observe daylight saving. Time differences vary when regions switch between standard and daylight saving at different dates.
Top ASX Indices
S&P/ASX 200
This is the exchange's flagship index. It tracks the 200 largest companies by market capitalisation and represents approximately 80% of Australia's equity market.
It serves as the primary benchmark for most investors and fund managers and is rebalanced quarterly to ensure it reflects the current market leaders.
The ASX also breaks down into 11 sector-specific indices, allowing investors to track performance in areas like financials, materials, healthcare, and technology.
These indices can help identify which parts of the Australian economy are strengthening or weakening.
ASX sector breakdown as of 31 December 2025. Source: S&P Global
Financials dominates as the largest sector, driven by Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac, and ANZ. These banking giants provide lending, wealth management, and insurance services across Australia.
Materials ranks second, led by mining powerhouses BHP and Rio Tinto. This sector extracts and processes resources, including iron ore, coal, copper, and gold.
Consumer Discretionary includes retailers, media companies, and hospitality groups that benefit when household spending rises.
Industrials encompasses construction firms, airlines, and professional services businesses.
Healthcare features companies like CSL, a global biotech leader, and Cochlear, which produces hearing implants.
Real Estate features property developers and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) that own and manage commercial and residential assets.
Communication Services includes telecommunications providers like Telstra alongside media and entertainment companies.
Energy tracks oil and gas producers (many renewable energy companies typically fall under utilities).
Consumer Staples covers essential goods providers like supermarkets and food producers.
Information Technology includes software developers and IT services firms.
Utilities covers electricity, gas, and water suppliers, including renewable energy.
ASX Symbol
Sector
Top Stocks
% of ASX 200
XFJ
Financials
CBA, NAB, ANZ
33.4%
XMJ
Materials
Orica, Amcor, BHP
23.2%
XDJ
Consumer Discretionary
Harvey Norman, Crown
7.4%
XNJ
Industrials
Qantas, Transurban
7.4%
XHJ
Health Care
ResMed, CSL and Cochlear
7.1%
XRE
Real Estate
Mirvac, LendLease, Westfield
6.7%
XTJXIJ
Communication Services
Telstra, Airtasker
3.7%
XEJ
Energy
Santos, Woodside
3.6%
XSJ
Consumer Staples
Woolworths, Westfarmers
3.4%
XIJ
Information Technology
Dicker Data, Xero
2.5%
XUJ
Utilities
AGL, APA Group
1.4%
Data accurate as of 31 December 2025
Top ASX companies
Three companies consistently lead the S&P/ASX 200 by market capitalisation.
Commonwealth Bank (Mkt cap: A$259 bln)
Commonwealth Bank holds the top position on the ASX as Australia's biggest lender.
Founded in 1911 and fully privatised by 1996, CBA offers retail banking, business lending, wealth management, and insurance.
Its performance often signals the health of the domestic economy.
BHP Group (Mkt cap: A$241 bln)
BHP Group stands as the world's largest mining company.
Its diversified portfolio spans iron ore, copper, coal, and nickel operations globally.
It serves as a bellwether for Australian commodity markets.
CSL Limited (Mkt cap: A$182 bln)
CSL Limited leads the Australian healthcare sector as a global biotech firm.
Established in 1916, CSL develops treatments for rare diseases and manufactures influenza vaccines.
The company demonstrates Australian innovation competing on the world stage.
The ASX serves as a vital mechanism for capital formation in Australia. It tends to provide price signals that reflect market expectations.
When share prices rise, it suggests optimism about economic conditions. Falling markets may indicate concerns about future growth.
Australian companies raise funds through initial public offerings and follow-on share sales on the ASX, using proceeds to expand operations, fund research, or pay down debt.
Investors in these shares benefit from potential capital gains and dividend income. Many Australians build retirement savings through superannuation funds that invest heavily in ASX-listed companies.
Employment in financial services also depends partly on a healthy stock market. Brokers, analysts, fund managers, and supporting roles exist because of active capital markets.
Key takeaways
The ASX functions as a market operator, clearinghouse, and payments facilitator, providing the infrastructure that enables capital formation and supports retirement savings for millions of Australians.
Its flagship index, the S&P/ASX 200, tracks the 200 largest companies and captures about 80% of market capitalisation, while the All Ordinaries index covers the top 500.
Financials and Materials dominate the exchange, led by Commonwealth Bank, BHP, and CSL, reflecting Australia's strength in banking and resources.
US earnings season is where the market gets its cleanest burst of new information. For Australians, it usually lands while the country is asleep. This is not just “US company news”. It is the scoreboard for the Nasdaq, the S&P 500, and risk appetite more broadly, with spillover into SPI futures, the AUD, and sector mood at the ASX open.
What this guide covers
The four-wave rhythm (why volatility clusters in predictable months)
The order of play (banks → tech → retailers) and what each group tends to reveal
Before market open (BMO) vs after market close (AMC)
The few lines markets care about (surprise vs expectations, and the forward reset)
How earnings information can flow through to Australia via futures, FX, and sector sentiment
US earnings season basics
Earnings season is the 4 to 6-week window after each quarter when most US-listed companies report a new set of numbers and a new story.
Calendar rhythm and clustering
Earnings does not arrive as a smooth drip. It typically arrives in four recurring waves. Most US reporting clusters around January, April, July, and October. Each wave covers the prior quarter, which is why markets spend the lead-up period building expectations, then reprice quickly as numbers and guidance hit.
The sequence is familiar: banks open, tech dominates the middle, retailers close. That order matters because each group updates a different part of the macro story. If you only track one set of reports, make it the Magnificent 7 — here’s the Mag 7 earnings calendar for 2026 (Aussie-friendly timing)
Source: GO Markets
Time zones: the two windows
For Australians, the key is when the first move hits.
AMC (after market close): often Sydney and Melbourne morning, sometimes near the ASX open
BMO (before market open): often late night, with the initial reaction while Australia sleeps
Daylight saving shifts timings, but the structure is consistent: two windows, two different liquidity conditions.
How the market digests an earnings event
Earnings is rarely a single reaction. It is a sequence.
Headline release (EPS and revenue versus consensus)
Immediate price discovery (often in after-hours or pre-market liquidity)
Call and Q&A (guidance, margins, and demand tone get tested)
Next US cash session (follow-through, reversals, broader positioning)
Australia opens into the aftershock (futures, FX, and sector mood already set)
Translation: volatility often clusters around reporting windows because the calendar can concentrate new information and repricing.
Expectations: the scoreboard the market uses
Markets do not price “good” or “bad” in isolation. They price the gap versus expectations, then adjust the forward story. That is why the same quarter can look strong on paper and still disappoint if it lands below what the market had already baked in.
Most headlines boil down to three checks. First, actual results versus consensus. Second, actual results versus what the company previously guided. Third, quality and durability. That tends to show up in margins, the mix across segments, and whether cash flow backs up the earnings number.
Guidance: the forward reset
Guidance is where the narrative can change without the quarter changing. A company can deliver the past cleanly, then move the goalposts for what comes next. That forward reset is often what drives the bigger repricing.
In practice, guidance usually lands in a few buckets. Revenue or EPS outlook sets the top-line and earnings path. Margin outlook tells you how confident management is about costs and pricing. Capex language signals how heavy the investment cycle is likely to be. Capital return talk, including buybacks, is a read on balance sheet posture and priorities.
Translation: markets trade forward narratives. Guidance is the mechanism.
The call: where tone becomes data
Prepared remarks are polished. The call is where the market stress-tests the story. The Q&A is where the edges show up, because that is where analysts push on the parts that matter and management has to answer in real time.
Listen for the tells. Demand language can shift from broad to patchy. Pricing can move from power to pressure. Margin confidence can sound steady or start to carry caveats. And the “we are not breaking that out” moments matter too. What management avoids can be as informative as what it highlights.
Key takeaways
Earnings season clusters in four waves (January, April, July, October), so volatility often arrives in blocks.
The sequence matters. Banks open the read on confidence, tech steers index tone, retailers often close the consumer chapter.
From Australia, BMO and AMC are the two windows that shape what you wake up to.
Markets trade surprise vs expectations, then the forward reset via guidance and call tone.
The spillover typically shows up through futures, FX, and sector sentiment before the ASX open.
Glossary (quick definitions)
EPS: earnings per share
Consensus: the market’s compiled estimate set
Guidance: management’s forward-looking outlook ranges/comments
Margins: profitability as a percentage of revenue
Capex: capital expenditure (investment spend)
BMO/AMC: before market open / after market close (US reporting labels)
After-hours / pre-market: trading sessions outside regular US cash hours
Correlation: how tightly assets move together (often rises in macro or de-risking periods)
.png)