Australia 17 February 2026 - 14 May 2026

Australian shares closed at a two-week low Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.6% to 8,793.40 as stalled U.S.-Iran talks and oil above $100 a barrel weighed on sentiment. Energy stocks rose, led by Santos and Woodside, but losses in banks and miners offset gains. Healthcare hit an eight-year low after CSL and Cochlear slumped. Traders now see a 75% chance the Reserve Bank will raise rates in early May.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.3% to 8,481.80 on March’s final day, but still posted its steepest monthly drop since June 2022. Financials and tech hit multi-year lows as oil prices and rate hike fears weighed on sentiment. Consumer confidence fell to a record low of 58.8. Miners headed for their worst month since 2015, while energy stocks surged on oil above $100.

The S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.11% lower at 8,516.30 on Friday but ended the week up 1.0%, as Brent crude climbed above $112 a barrel and Wall Street fell sharply. The Reserve Bank of Australia will release March meeting minutes Tuesday after raising its cash rate to 4.10%. China’s March manufacturing PMI and key Australian economic data are due this week. Miners face rising diesel costs, with a 10-cent increase costing top firms $500 million.

The S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.1% at 8,525.70 on Thursday, with losses in miners offsetting gains in energy and healthcare. Miners fell 0.6% and are down over 15% for the month, while energy stocks rose 1.5%. Annual inflation slowed to 3.7% in February, but investors remain cautious amid volatile oil prices and Middle East tensions.

The S&P/ASX 200 closed Friday at 8,428.40, down 0.82% for the day and 2.2% for the week, marking a third straight weekly loss as miners slumped. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate to 4.10% in a narrow vote. Brent crude hit $112.19 a barrel, its highest since July 2022. Australia’s jobless rate edged up to 4.3% in February despite a rise in employment.

Australian shares fell Friday, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing down 0.82% at 8,428.4, marking a third straight weekly loss. Materials and financials dropped, while energy and healthcare gained. Brent crude hovered near $109, and the Reserve Bank of Australia recently raised rates to 4.1% amid inflation concerns linked to Middle East tensions. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged motorists not to panic buy fuel.

Australian shares fell for a third session Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.4% to 8,583.4 as weaker commodity prices hit miners and traders awaited the Reserve Bank’s rate decision. Mining stocks dropped 2.4%, while financials and energy gained. Brent crude traded at $100.56 a barrel. South32 slid 5.7% after halting its Mozal smelter; Perpetual rose 1.9% after selling its wealth unit to Bain Capital.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.14% at 8,617.10 on Friday, led by an 18.8% plunge in Northern Star Resources after a production warning. Miners fell 2.1% while financials gained 1%. Oil-driven inflation fears pushed rate hike bets to 80% for next week’s RBA meeting. Qantas agreed to pay A$105 million to settle a class action over COVID-era flight credits.

The ASX 200 closed up 0.24% at 8,958.9 on Tuesday, driven by a 4.7% jump in BHP after strong half-year results and a higher dividend. JB Hi-Fi surged 8.1%, while Reliance Worldwide dropped 9.1%. The Australian dollar slipped to 70.59 US cents. Investors await wage and jobs data later this week for signals on the Reserve Bank’s next move.