Sydney, June 25, 2026, 03:07 AEST
- ASX 200 closed up 0.24% at 8,808.4, snapping a four-day losing streak.
- WiseTech surged 14.3% and Xero was up 8.2%, out front in a strong bounce for tech stocks.
- Headline inflation slowed to 4.0% year-on-year in May, while the trimmed mean went up to 3.6%, according to the .
ASX snaps four-day slide as tech jumps, commodity stocks lag
Australian stocks ended a four-day losing streak on Wednesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 21.4 points at 8,808.4. The All Ordinaries put on 0.27% to reach 9,012.6. Gains came from nine of eleven sectors. Tech surged more than 5%, healthcare was up over 2%. Energy and materials slipped. “The biggest thing … is the Fed,” said Pepperstone’s Chris Weston, pointing to a stronger U.S. dollar pressuring commodity names. Morningstar
The index climbed roughly 0.4% after the inflation numbers, then gave up those gains. Annual CPI eased to 4.2%, missing the 4.3% estimate. The trimmed mean was up from 3.4%. That gauge strips out the biggest price jumps to show core inflation. Traders put the odds of an August rate hike at 22%. “Higher input, freight and agricultural costs are still passing through to consumer prices,” said Harry Murphy Cruise at Oxford Economics Australia. The Edge Malaysia
Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser said on Monday that while softer global oil prices are welcome, “we still have work to do to reduce inflation here in Australia.” The RBA has hiked rates three times this year, wiping out all of the 2025 easing. Reuters
Tech names bounced Wednesday, with WiseTech up 14.3% at A$32.86. Xero jumped 8.2% to A$70.31. Both stocks clawed back losses after sharp drops earlier in the week, pacing the sector’s recovery.
WiseTech shares bounced after plunging 18.4% on Monday. The move came after media reports said the Australian Federal Police was investigating executive chair Richard White. Reuters was unable to confirm the reports. White denied any human trafficking links, calling the allegations “emphatically and unequivocally” false. WiseTech said it did not know of any investigation. Reuters
Baby Bunting shares dropped more than 10% after the company cut its fiscal 2026 adjusted net-profit outlook to A$16 million-A$17 million, down from A$17.5 million-A$19.5 million. Comparable-sales growth is now seen at about 3.5%, below its earlier 5%-7% guidance. “The three RBA cash rate rises in the second half, together with higher fuel prices, weighed on consumer spending,” CEO Mark Teperson said. Market Index
The Australian dollar dropped to its lowest in 11 weeks at 68.99 U.S. cents. IG analyst Tony Sycamore said “the next few domestic data prints … will be crucial.” The May labour report, due Thursday, is expected to show employment up about 25,000, with the unemployment rate down to 4.4%. IG
But there’s still no clear answer on rates. An August hike could hit tech and retail stocks again. HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham says the RBA will probably stay put, pointing to falling oil prices and a slower economy: “the signs are that inflation will fall in the future.” ABC News
