Morning Report 24 Feb 25: Wall Street closes sharply lower amid mounting US economic and tariff concerns

Stocks ended the week lower, with Wall Street suffering its worst session of 2025 so far. US bond yields fell amid weakening economic data, while UnitedHealth declined on a Medicare billing probe. Akamai slipped on a weak outlook, but vaccine stocks jumped on reports of a new coronavirus study in China. In Europe, the Stoxx 600 neared record highs as Germany’s election took focus. In commodities, oil prices fell, gold eased from record highs on profit-taking, and copper declined on concerns over Chinese demand. Closer to home, the ASX selloff is expected to deepen ahead of the final week of earnings, while the Aussie dollar weakened on risk aversion. The content in this podcast is prepared, approved and distributed in Australia by Commonwealth Securities Limited ABN 60 067 254 399 AFSL 238814. The information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the appropriateness of the information before acting and if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.