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ASX ends flat after RBA holds rates
The Australian sharemarket finished little changed on Tuesday after the Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35%, with gains in energy and banking stocks largely offsetting weakness in technology and consumer discretionary shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Index edged down 3.7 points to close at 8,917.7, with five of the 11 sectors finishing higher and six ending lower. Trading was relatively subdued following the RBA's widely anticipated decision to leave interest rates unchanged after three consecutive rate increases earlier this year. Speaking at her post-meeting press conference, Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock revealed the Monetary Policy Board did not consider another rate increase during its June meeting. When asked whether a rate rise had been discussed, Bullock replied: “no, we didn’t”. Pressed on the outlook for monetary policy and the divergence in market expectations, Bullock said economists currently hold a wide range of views on the direction of interest rates. She attributed the differing forecasts to a “difference in opinion and judgment” regarding the relative importance of slowing economic growth versus persistent inflation pressures. The Consumer Discretionary sector led t
ASX
ASX opens lower ahead of RBA call
The Australian sharemarket opened lower on Tuesday despite a strong rally on Wall Street overnight as investors await the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) latest interest rate decision today. By 10:30 am AEST (12:30 am GMT), the ASX 200 Index was trading 0.7% lower. The move partially erased gains achieved on Monday as the equities benchmark was buoyed by news of peace agreement between the United States and Iran, which had been expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday. Stocks in New York delivered their third consecutive day of price rises on Monday (Tuesday AEST), triggered by the preliminary agreement, which is aimed at ending hostilities in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9% to finish at a record high, while the S&P 500 added 1.7% and the Nasdaq Composite surged 3.1%. U.S. crude oil futures dropped almost 5% after the peace announcement, boosting the prices of energy-sensitive airline and cruise line stocks and interest rate-sensitive technology stocks. "Markets are higher on a classic relief rally. We have a U.S.-Iran deal that's driving oil sharply lower. This is easing inflation fears and basically pushing investors back into risk
ASX
ASX climbs 1.3% as gold miners drive rally
The Australian sharemarket closed at its highest level in two months on Monday as investors welcomed signs of a peace agreement between the United States and Iran, lifting risk sentiment across regional markets. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 110.0 points, or 1.3%, to 8,914.0, with seven of the 11 sectors finishing in positive territory. Investor sentiment improved after U.S. President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would be “opening” on Friday following the signing of a peace agreement with Iran. Materials stocks led the advance as spot gold prices rebounded, driving strong gains among gold producers. Northern Star Resources climbed 7.9%, Evolution Mining surged 10.0%, and Newmont Corporation gained 6.8%. Ora Banda Mining led the gains on the index, jumping 16.3% after announcing it had signed a $233 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with GR Engineering Services for the expansion of its Davyhurst processing plant to a capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum. Vault Minerals rose 14.7% after forecasting gold production of between 332,000 and 360,000 ounces for the 2026 financial year. The major diversified miners also contributed to the market's gains. BHP advanced 3.6%, Rio Ti
ASX
ASX opens higher as oil falls on peace hopes
Australian shares opened higher on Monday after Wall Street finished the week in positive territory amid growing optimism about a peace agreement between the United States and Iran. The ASX 200 index was trading 1% higher by 10:20 am AEST (12:20 am GMT). The direction was set by United States stocks, which ended higher on Friday (Saturday AEST) as investors awaited a U.S.-Iran peace deal, buoyed by a sharp fall in oil prices and a surge in SpaceX shares on their debut in Wall Street's biggest ‌public listing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.7%, the S&P 500 put on 0.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3% on the final day of the week. Longbow Asset Management chief executive officer Jake Dollarhide said the reported progress in peace talks helped lift sentiment. "There's still hope for a peace deal. Trump called off the attacks ... Third parties are confirming a peace deal is happening," he was quoted in a Reuters story published on Friday (Saturday AEST). The U.S. and Iran have since agreed to a peace deal, according to announcements from U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistan. Investor attention on Wall Street on Friday was dominated by the historic market debut of Elon Musk's SpaceX, which surged
ASX
ASX jumps 2% as miners lead rally
The Australian sharemarket recorded its strongest one-day advance since April on Friday, as improving risk sentiment swept through global markets after United States President Donald Trump suggested a peace agreement with Iran could be signed as soon as this weekend. The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed up 170.8 points, or 2.0%, at 8,804.0, with nine of the 11 sectors finishing in positive territory. The gain marked the benchmark's largest daily rise since 8 April. For the week, the index advanced 2.1%. Materials stocks led the market higher, with gold producers rallying after bullion prices rebounded overnight. Northern Star Resources gained 5.1%, Evolution Mining surged 7.3%, and Newmont Corporation added 4.0%. The major miners also posted strong gains. BHP climbed 3.5%, Rio Tinto rose 2.4%, and Fortescue advanced 3.1%. Consumer discretionary stocks participated in the rally as investors rotated back into growth-sensitive sectors. JB Hi-Fi added 1.4%, Domino's Pizza Enterprises rose 1.2%, and Wesfarmers gained 2.6%. Financial stocks provided significant support to the benchmark index. Commonwealth Bank rose 2.0%, National Australia Bank gained 2.3%, Westpac Banking Corporation added 1.5%, and ANZ Group Holdings adva

ASX
ASX bounces back after peace plan lifts US stocks
Australian shares opened higher on Friday, tracking a strong rebound on Wall Street as optimism builds around a potential Middle East peace agreement. By 10:25 am AEST (12:25 am GMT) the ASX 200 index was trading 1.3% higher. The rebound echoed higher close in the United States in the wake of President Donald Trump’s statement that “all parties” had approved a draft peace deal between the U.S. and Iran. The three main U.S. indexes registered their biggest daily percentage gains since 8 April after Trump said he had cancelled planned strikes against Iran and that a peace deal could be signed as soon as this weekend to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.9%, the S&P 500 added 1.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite beat them both with a 2.5% jump on Thursday (Friday AEST). "Our technical indicators are looking relatively oversold here," Per Stirling Capital Management director Robert Phipps was quoted as saying in a Reuters story. "Just as we had gone up too far, too fast, we came down too far, too fast." The Australian market had edged lower on Thursday with the ASX 200 slipping 20.1 points, or 0.2%, to 8,633.2 points despite seven of the index's 11 sectors finishing higher. Burrell S
ASX
ASX slips 0.2% as tech, banks lead declines
The Australian sharemarket finished modestly lower on Thursday as weakness in technology and banking stocks outweighed gains in the energy sector, with investors remaining cautious amid renewed conflict in the Middle East and overnight losses on Wall Street. The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed down 20.1 points, or 0.2%, at 8,633.2. Despite the decline, market breadth remained relatively positive, with seven of the index's 11 sectors finishing higher. Investor sentiment was dampened by a risk-off tone that emerged after major U.S. equity benchmarks fell overnight. Markets were also monitoring renewed military action in the Middle East after U.S. forces launched fresh strikes against Iran, reigniting a conflict that has unsettled global markets for more than three months. The Information Technology sector led the market lower as investors continued to reduce exposure to growth-oriented stocks. WiseTech Global fell 3.6%, Xero declined 2.8%, and TechnologyOne lost 1.6%. Financial stocks also came under pressure, weighing heavily on the broader index. Commonwealth Bank dropped 2.4%, National Australia Bank fell 1.8%, Westpac Banking Corp lost 2.6% and ANZ Group declined 2.1%. In contrast, energy stocks advanced as crude o
ASX
ASX dips 1% as Wall St sell-off dampens sentiment
Australian shares opened lower on Thursday after a broad-based sell-off on Wall Street driven by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and more weakness in technology stocks. The ASX 200 index fell 1% by 10:20 am AEST (12:20 am GMT), pressured by falls of more than 1% in the major United States stock indexes as chipmakers continued to slide and amid renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Sentiment deteriorated after President Donald Trump warned the United States could attack Iran "very hard" if a peace agreement was not reached, and as investors continued to sell technology stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dived 1.9%, the S&P 500 lost 1.6%, and the Nasdaq Composite shed 2.0% on Wednesday (Thursday AEST). U.S. Bank Wealth Management investment strategist Tom Hainlin said investors were taking profits in the tech sector, pricing in higher interest rates after recent economic data and worried about the war. "Perhaps that conflict continues on into the mid to late summer," Harlin was quoted as saying in a Reuters report. The Australian market had jumped 0.6% on Wednesday with the ASX 200 adding 49.1 points to 8,653.3 and eight of the 11 sectors ending higher. Stocks in focus today may incl
ASX
ASX gains 0.6%; consumer staples lead gains
The Australian sharemarket finished higher on Wednesday, supported by strong gains in consumer-focused stocks as investors monitored escalating tensions in the Middle East following fresh United States military strikes against Iran. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 49.1 points, or 0.6%, to close at 8,653.3, with eight of the market's 11 sectors ending the session in positive territory. The Consumer Staples sector led the advance, with investors favouring defensive sectors amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty. Woolworths climbed 3.2% following reports that the retailer plans to offshore hundreds of corporate roles. Coles surged 5%, while GrainCorp gained 1.6% and Metcash advanced 5.7%. The Consumer Discretionary sector also enjoyed a strong session, led by Wesfarmers, which jumped 4.3%. after holding a strategy day where management outlined plans to drive future growth through artificial intelligence initiatives and data monetisation opportunities. Other discretionary retailers also moved higher, with JB Hi-Fi rising 3.5%, Domino's Pizza Enterprises adding 2.1% and Aristocrat Leisure gaining 2.2%. Real estate investment trusts were also in demand. Goodman Group rose 1.6%, Mirvac added 1.8%, and Scentre Group gained