Australian shares were again flat on Tuesday as oil prices continued to surge, following the US reimposition of a naval blockade over Iran.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index was unchanged to close at 8,808.50.
Brent crude oil futures surged to trade around $84 per barrel. US President Donald Trump said the US would impose a 20% toll on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Overnight, the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones fell 0.8%, 1.6%, and 0.3%, respectively.
On the domestic front, Australian consumer confidence rose 0.6 points to 75.3 points in the week of July 6 to 12, with improving confidence in the economic and financial outlook over the next 12 months, ANZ said. The four-week moving average rose 1.1 points to 74.7 points.
Australia's Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index rose 4.1% to 83.9 in July from 80.6 in June, as consumers showed relief that worst-case scenarios such as higher energy prices had not played out.
Business confidence in Australia rose 9 points to negative 5 in June, driven by gains in retail and manufacturing, National Australia Bank said. Confidence remains 4 points below its February level and below the long-run average of 5 index points.
In company news, Genesis Minerals (ASX:GMD) agreed to acquire Vault Minerals (ASX:VAU) for AU$5.274 per share. Vault shareholders will receive 0.7629 new Genesis ordinary shares plus AU$0.475 in cash for each Vault share they hold.
Light & Wonder (ASX:LNW) said it remained on track to meet its previously announced 2026 financial outlook of mid-to-high single-digit consolidated adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (AEBITDA) growth.
Lastly, Steadfast Group (ASX:SDF) said KKR joined the Amwins Group and Dragoneer Investment Group consortium as a co-lead investor in the company's retail brokerage business. Amwins and Dragoneer in June offered to acquire Steadfast for AU$6 per share in cash.