The Australian sharemarket closed modestly lower on Tuesday as weakness across the materials and energy sectors outweighed gains in technology and financial stocks.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 27.1 points, or 0.3%, to 8,803.9, with seven of the 11 sectors finishing in negative territory.
The materials sector led the declines as heavyweight miners retreated. BHP fell 1.9%, Rio Tinto lost 1.8%, and Fortescue slipped 0.8%.
Gold miners also came under pressure as bullion prices extended recent losses. Northern Star Resources dropped 5.1%, Evolution Mining fell 5.3%, and Newmont declined 2.4%.
The energy sector weakened, led by coal producers. Whitehaven Coal tumbled 5.8%, and Yancoal Australia fell 3.7%.
Among the major oil and gas producers, Santos lost 1.5%, Woodside Energy eased 0.5%, and Beach Energy slipped 0.6%.
Real estate investment trusts also traded lower, with Goodman Group down 0.7%, Charter Hall falling 2.1%, Mirvac shedding 1.8%, and Stockland declining 2.8%.
The Information Technology sector was the standout performer, with Xero gaining 1.8%, TechnologyOne rising 2.0%, and NextDC climbing 3.6%.
WiseTech Global surged 5.7% after founder Richard White announced he would step down as chairman amid allegations of human trafficking.
Raelene Murphy was appointed chair, while White will remain the company's chief innovation officer and continue to serve on the board.
Financial stocks also provided support. Commonwealth Bank rose 1.2%, National Australia Bank gained 1.5%, Westpac advanced 2.4%, and ANZ added 1.3%.
In company news, Netwealth Group rallied 6.7% to lead gains on the benchmark after forecasting FY27 funds under administration growth of between 17% and 30% following an expanded mandate from Morgan Stanley's Australian wealth management business.
Nine Entertainment rose 0.6% after securing a new seven-year agreement to remain the free-to-air broadcaster of the National Rugby League.
Lynas Rare Earths fell 6.4% after announcing a $50 million investment to build a rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing facility in Malaysia in partnership with South Korea's JS Link.
On the bond markets, the Australian 10-year government bond yield rose 0.5% to 4.826%, while the two-year yield eased 0.3% to 4.460%.
