Australian shares finished little changed on Tuesday as investors returned to technology stocks and bought into gold miners amid easing oil prices, while weakness in the major banks and healthcare sector capped gains.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index edged up 2.0 points to 8,793.3, with five of the 11 sectors closing higher.
Technology was the strongest-performing sector as investors rotated back into chip-related stocks following gains across Asian markets.
Xero rose 2.1%, WiseTech Global gained 0.9%, and TechnologyOne advanced 2.5%.
NextDC surged 7.7% to lead the benchmark after reporting pro forma contract utilisation increased 11% to 740 megawatts as at 30 June 2026. The data centre operator maintained its previous FY26 guidance.
The Materials sector also strengthened. Among the major miners, BHP gained 1.3%, Rio Tinto edged 0.03% higher, while Fortescue fell 1.3%.
South32 rallied 6.6% after releasing a stronger-than-expected quarterly production update earlier in the week.
Gold miners advanced broadly as spot gold prices climbed, with Northern Star Resources rising 3.3%, Evolution Mining gaining 5.6%, and Newmont adding 2.0%.
Healthcare was the weakest-performing sector. CSL fell 1.0%, Sonic Healthcare lost 2.6%, and Pro Medicus declined 3.0%.
However, Telix Pharmaceuticals rose 1.4% after reporting second-quarter revenue increased 21% to US$247 million (A$353.2 million).
Financial stocks also weighed on the market, with Commonwealth Bank falling 0.4%, NAB losing 1.0%, Westpac declining 1.2%, and ANZ retreating 1.2%.
Among individual movers, SiteMinder gained 1.8% after appointing director Samantha Lawson as chief product officer, effective 1 August. Lawson will step down from the company's board upon assuming the executive role.
On the bond markets, Australian government yields moved lower, with the 10-year yield falling 0.7% to 4.945% and the two-year yield declining 1.5% to 4.55%.
