Australian shares retreated at Wednesday's close as uncertainty around negotiations between the US and Iran continued, even as the US extended a ceasefire.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index declined 1.18%, or by 105.80 points, to close at 8,843.60.
US President Donald Trump said the US would extend the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely. Iran had rejected a second round of negotiations before the extension was declared. The Strait of Hormuz remained closed, while President Trump said he would continue the US's blockade of Iran.
Brent crude oil futures were steady at $$98.47 per barrel.
On the domestic front, the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Leading Index, which indicates the likely pace of economic activity relative to trend three to nine months into the future, fell to negative 0.13% in March from 0.05% in February, signaling a renewed slowdown in growth expectations as higher interest rates and weaker consumer sentiment weigh on the outlook.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia's inaugural FX Barometer report, conducted between Feb. 16 and April 10, showed that importers were hedging around 80% of their currency exposures and exporters hedging 86%, while businesses that both import and export were hedging around two-thirds of their exposures, reflecting partial natural offsets.
In company news, Treasury Wine Estates (ASX:TWE) will transition to a new regional operating model, effective Oct. 1. Under the new model, the company will operate four regional divisions: the Americas; Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and Europe; Greater China; and emerging markets, which cover the rest of Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Its shares soared over 16% on market close.
BHP Group (ASX:BHP) reported fiscal third-quarter copper production of 476,800 tonnes, down 7% from a year earlier. Iron ore output for the March quarter was 62.8 million tonnes, an increase of 2% from the year-ago period. Its shares closed up over 1%.
Lastly, South32 (ASX:S32) reported a 1% increase in alumina production year-to-date to March, helped by record production in its Brazil Alumina segment. Aluminium production was mostly flat during the period. Its shares were up over 1% on market close.