SYDNEY, June 30, 2026, 03:01 AEST
- S&P/ASX 200 closed Monday up 0.68% at 8,823.4, while the All Ordinaries finished 0.7% higher.
- Tech gained at roughly six times the benchmark’s rate. Healthcare was up more than 2%.
- Neuren rallied 36.1% after picking up a DAYBU EU nod. Karoon was up 9.1% on news of a fresh buyback plan.
- Utilities and real estate trailed, with bond proxies and some ex-dividend stocks moving lower.
At the time, the ASX cash market was closed overnight. ASX pre-open kicks off at 07:00 in Sydney, with normal trading hours from 09:59:45 to 16:00. June 29 was a typical session on the 2026 ASX cash calendar. The last holiday close was King’s Birthday on June 8.
Australian stocks ended higher on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) gaining 59.2 points, or 0.68%, to close at 8,823.4. The All Ordinaries (INDEXASX:XAO) finished up 0.7% at 9,026.9, according to a CBA/AAP report. The move up mattered less than what was driving it.
Information Technology jumped 4.04%, nearly six times the benchmark’s move, Market Index figures showed. Health Care also climbed, up 2.12%. The S&P/ASX 300 counted 188 stocks higher and 90 lower. The ASX 200 ended at its session peak.
| Australia market slice | Level | Monday change |
|---|---|---|
| S&P/ASX 200 | 8,823.4 | up 0.68% |
| All Ordinaries | 9,026.9 | rose 0.70% |
| All Tech | 2,990.8 | jumped 3.53% |
| Information Technology sector | 1,814.9 | added 4.04% |
| Health Care sector | 26,118.3 | gained 2.12% |
| Utilities sector | 9,642.6 | fell 2.58% |
| Real Estate sector | 3,735.5 | down 0.89% |
That’s important for funds since the late-June buying was most intense in stocks already beaten down. S&P Dow Jones Indices listed the S&P/ASX 200 at 8,823.37 as of June 29, with a one-year return of 3.63%. That’s still a weak number for a market near the end of the financial year.
Biggest moves came from the catch-up trade. WiseTech Global ASX:WTC jumped 7.2% on the session but is still off 68.9% for the year. Xero ASX:XRO gained 4.5%, also down 60.6% over twelve months. Life360 (ASX:360) finished up 11.6% but remains 17.4% lower on the year, Market Index data showed.
| Stock | Monday close | Monday change | One-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuren Pharmaceuticals ASX:NEU | A$16.60 | jumped 36.1% | up 16.9% |
| Life360 (ASX:360) | A$26.27 | gained 11.6% | fell 17.4% |
| Karoon Energy ASX:KAR | A$1.375 | added 9.1% | dropped 27.6% |
| WiseTech Global ASX:WTC | A$33.82 | rose 7.2% | sank 68.9% |
| Xero ASX:XRO | A$72.18 | climbed 4.5% | down 60.6% |
| Pro Medicus ASX:PME | A$197.45 | was up 4.5% | down 29.6% |
Tech stocks bounced sharply, catching attention since the market came into late June with a soft first-half showing. IG said before Monday that the ASX 200 was pacing for about a 0.5% gain in the first half, with the accumulation index, which factors in dividends, up around 2%.
Geopolitics set the mood, but oil didn’t drive the entire session. Stephen Innes, partner at SPI Asset Management, said risk assets could keep trading past Middle East jitters as long as “Brent stays contained” and the Strait of Hormuz is open. Brent crude rose 0.8% to US$73.16 a barrel during Australia’s session, Market Index reported. News
Materials stocks joined the bounce. BHP Group ASX:BHP rose 1.4%, Fortescue ASX:FMG climbed 2.4% and South32 ASX:S32 was up 1.8%. Market Index noted the sector’s 1.7% rebound over two days came after a 10% drop in the past six sessions.
Karoon Energy led oil stocks higher. The company said it will launch another on-market buyback in July. It just finished buying and cancelling 94.3 million shares for around US$97 million. Chairman Peter Botten said the board thinks Karoon shares are “significantly undervalued.”
Neuren Pharmaceuticals jumped in healthcare trading after the company said the EMA’s CHMP backed its Rett syndrome drug DAYBU following a re-exam. Neuren expects a US$35 million payment after first EU sale if the drug is cleared and launched, along with royalties and potential sales milestones. CEO Jon Pilcher called it “an important step forward.”
Income stocks lagged. APA Group ASX:APA dropped 5.2% after trading ex-dividend. Transurban Group ASX:TCL gave up 4.4%. Dexus (ASX:DXS), Region Group (ASX:RGN), GPT Group (ASX:GPT) and Stockland ASX:SGP posted losses of 3.5% to 4.2% as real estate stocks fell on elevated benchmark yields.
