Company Interview / the open: ASX, CSL executives exit 📈 local market to rise

The focus for local investors today will be the abrupt exits of CSL's CEO Paul McKenzie and ASX chief executive Helen Lofthouse. The local market is set to open higher with ASX futures up 0.3%. 

On Wall Street overnight the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq edged lower while the Dow hit a new record high as investors contemplated disappointing retail sales figures and waited for jobs data. 

US retail sales growth stalled in December as households scaled back spending on big-ticket items such as motor vehicles. Sales increased 2.4% year-on-year in December while US business inventories increased by a less than expected 0.1% in November as retail inventories fell. 

Gold has fallen around 0.5% as the market consolidated ahead of US jobs data and inflation. The US dollar is down slightly on the day, whilst the Australian dollar is at US70.8 cents.