ASX Markets Open Lower as Gold and Silver Hit Record Prices

Market snapshot A By Adelaide Miller ASX 200 futures: -0.4% to 8,810 points Australian dollar: +0.5% to 66.13 US cents US futures: Dow futures -0.8%, S & P 500 futures -0.9% FTSE: -0.4% to 10,195 points Spot gold: +1.6% to $US4,670/ounce Oil (Brent crude): +0.03% at $US64.15/barrel Iron ore: -1.3% to $US104.95/tonne Bitcoin: -2.3% to $US93,158 Price current around 7:20pm AEDT The eerie calm over global stocks may be about to shatter A By Adelaide Miller There are signs Donald Trump's bold strategy to artificially lower interest rates could backfire, as a level of disquiet emerges on money markets, particularly bonds. Here is the latest piece of analysis by chief business correspondent Ian Verrender: Average rent hits $650 a week across the country A By Adelaide Miller National rent prices hit a new peak in December 2025, up 1.6% and averaging $650 per week. According to realestate.com.au Market Insight, national median weekly rent was up 4.8% year-on-year to December 2025, which is a slower pace than the year earlier, but adds an extra $1,560 to rents per year. Here are some of the key findings: Hobart recorded the strongest quarterly (+4.2%) and annual (+9.1%) rent price growth in December. Darwin (+8.3%) and Perth (+7.7%) followed closely behind in annual gains. Despite the growth, Hobart is still the cheapest capital city to rent in ($573), followed by Melbourne ($575). Sydney remained the most expensive city for renters ($760 per week) in December. Compared to Melbourne, Sydney renters are typically paying an extra $9,620 per year. National unit rent growth outpaced that of houses over the year, rising 6.7% compared to 3.2% of houses. In regional areas, rents grew 7.3% year-on-year in December, pushing the median weekly rent up to $590. "Rents were sitting at record highs in every market in December and are expected to reach new records in 2026. While rent growth is expected to continue moderating in 2026, vacancy rates remain low and population growth will fuel demand for more rentals," REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty says. Key events this week A By Adelaide Miller There's a few big national and international events to note for the week, which could have implications on markets. 1. US President Donald Trump is set to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland early Thursday Australian time. 2. There is a potential ruling from the US Supreme Court, which could be tomorrow morning Australian time, on Trump's global tariff policies and whether they are illegal. 3. Australian jobs data and the latest unemployment rate will be out on Thursday, which captures the figures for December 2025. Monday finance with Alan Kohler A By Adelaide Miller Keen for a quick update on what happened across markets yesterday? Alan Kohler can tell you about the local share market and investor sentiment as the prospect of a trade war between America and Europe heightens. Loading...