FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES

S&P/ASX 200

ASX 200
IndexIndex

569 stories mentioning S&P/ASX 200Updated 2d ago

Australian shares traded mixed, with energy stocks like Woodside advancing while consumer discretionary names slipped amid softening consumer confidence.

Asia

Australian Shares Flat; BHP Group Files Environmental Permit Application to Reopen Chile Copper Mine

Australian shares closed flat with a negative bias on Thursday, while Asian markets saw a broad-based decline after Wednesday's Wall Street sell-off due to a fall in semiconductor shares.The S&P/ASX 200 Index was little changed to close at 8,715.20.On Wednesday, the S&P 500 fell 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.7%, dragged down by a sell-off in semiconductor shares."The plunge in Asia semis today is more about a hangover from Wall Street," said Fabien Yip, a market analyst at IG, as quoted by ReutersMeanwhile, the US and Iran wrapped up a round of indirect talks on Wednesday with little sign of progress toward a lasting peace, instead discussing issues they said had already been settled under an interim agreement disclosed two weeks earlier, according to a Wednesday Reuters report.On the domestic front, Australia's goods balance recorded a seasonally adjusted deficit of AU$3.02 billion in May, down from a surplus of AU$1.38 billion in April, according to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.Also, S&P Global Ratings expects a stable credit environment for Asia-Pacific sectors amid solid AI demand and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.Further, already restrictive financial conditions in Australia are expected to tighten even more, which will weigh on demand and possibly stop the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) from hiking interest rates any further despite inflation remaining above target, BofA Securities said.In company news, BHP Group (ASX:BHP) has filed an environmental permit application to reopen the Cerro Colorado copper mine in Chile.Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) appointed Suresh Vadnagra as chief executive, succeeding Stuart Tonkin, effective Oct. 5Xero (ASX:XRO) is integrating with Microsoft 365 to make its real-time financial data more accessible to small businesses and accountants.

ASX 200ASX:BHPASX:NSTASX:XRO
International

Australian Financial Conditions to Tighten Further, Reducing Case for More Interest Rate Hikes, BofA Securities Says

Already restrictive financial conditions in Australia are expected to tighten even more, which will weigh on demand and possibly stop the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) from hiking interest rates any further despite inflation remaining above target, BofA Securities said in a Wednesday note.Rising real interest rates, declining home prices, tighter credit availability, and a hawkish US Federal Reserve should together lead to a slowing of domestic demand growth, according to the investment banking firm."We expect the RBA will remain on hold through 2026 with a clear tightening bias, while assessing whether the combination of higher real rates, slowing demand, and an easing labor market is sufficient to return inflation to target," BofA Securities said.Real interest rates are poised to increase through the remainder of this year and 2027 as inflation expectations ease, even under BofA's base case scenario of no further rate hikes, reinforcing the drag on consumption and investment.Meanwhile, a more hawkish US Fed will exert upward pressure on Australian yields, raising funding costs across the curve and tightening conditions independently of the RBA's policy, BofA Securities said. It added that softer house prices and lower turnover are expected to spill over to weaker consumption, construction, and broader activity.

ASX 200
Japan

ASX Midday Sector Update: Financial Stocks Advance, Utilities Sector Struggles

Financial stocks advanced 1.2% at midday Thursday.Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) shares rose marginally in recent trade.On the flip side, the utilities sector struggled, shedding 3%.Origin Energy (ASX:ORG) shares fell past 4% in recent trade.

ASX 200ASX:CBAASX:ORG
International

Australia Trade Balance Swings to Deficit in May

Australia's goods balance recorded a seasonally adjusted deficit of AU$3.02 billion in May, down from a surplus of AU$1.38 billion in April, according to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.Goods exports fell 6.9%, or AU$3.22 billion, to AU$43.61 billion, driven by decreases in the non-monetary gold and metal ores and minerals.Goods imports rose 2.6%, or AU$1.18 billion, to AU$46.63 billion, driven by increases in non-industrial transport equipment, civil aircraft, and confidentialized items.

ASX 200
Asia

ASX Preview: Australian Shares to Fall as Oil Slides on US-Iran Talks; Northern Star Resources Set to Meet Fiscal 2026 Gold Sales Guidance

Australian shares are poised to fall on Thursday, tracking weaker oil prices after crude slid more than 1% to its lowest since March on easing supply concerns following progress in US-Iran talks in Qatar.Overnight, the S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%, 0.7%, and 0.03%, respectively.In the macroeconomy, the international trade in goods report is due at 11:30 am Sydney time.In corporate news, Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) reported preliminary gold sold of 433,000 ounces for the June quarter, bringing fiscal 2026 gold sold to about 1.5 million ounces.Almonty Industries (ASX:AII) said its Sangdong mine in South Korea has started processing plant throughput operations, marking a transition to saleable tungsten concentrate production.Australia's benchmark index fell 0.6% or 55.8 points to close at 8,722.90 on Wednesday.

ASX 200ASX:AIIASX:NST
Asia

Fitch Sees AI, Private Credit, Sovereign Risk as Main Themes for Asian Investors

Institutional investors across Asia consider AI disruption, private credit growth, and sovereign risk as major credit risk drivers, Fitch Ratings said in a recent release.Overspending in AI and digital infrastructure has become a main theme for investors, as it introduces completion risk, high capital expenditure, and pricing pressure, Fitch said.While AI increases efficiency gains, it also carries risks from labor displacement and declining tax bases, mainly in developed markets, the rating agency said.For private credit, heightened asset competition and opacity risks due to the use of layered finance structures could muddy leverage and creditor positioning, Fitch said.Investors call for stronger oversight in private credit, especially in terms of rating criteria and market practices, according to Fitch.The rating agency also sees lingering macroeconomic volatility due to Gulf tensions and supply chain disruption, with a proposed peace deal moving focus to the conflict's residual and indirect effects.

ASX 200Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite^SZSE
Asia

AI Demand, Hormuz Reopening Stabilize Credit Conditions for Asia-Pacific Sectors, S&P Says

S&P Global Ratings expects a stable credit environment for Asia-Pacific sectors amid solid AI demand and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Wednesday release.A drop in headline oil prices provides some relief to the region, which is a net energy importer, and offers upside growth potential, S&P's Asia-Pacific head of credit research, Eunice Tan, said.The region's issuers showed a net rating outlook bias of -2% as of May, improving from -3% in March, S&P said.AI demand anchors the region's tech and upstream electronics producers, with resulting growth offering a buffer against energy shocks, the rating agency said.However, second-order shocks could lead to a mixed recovery, with a slow turnaround in non-energy flows adding pressure on input costs and protracting disruptions for petrochemicals, agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing, Tan said.A notable decline in AI-related optimism or heightened geopolitical tensions could also quickly hit financing conditions, S&P said.

ASX 200Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite^SZSE
International

Australia Index of Commidity Prices Fall in June

Australia's commodity price index retreated in June, pulling back 2.2% on a monthly average basis in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) terms after a 1% gain in May, driven by weakness in non-rural and base metals subindices while rural commodities bucked the trend, according to a Wednesday report by the Reserve Bank of Australia.SDR, an international reserve asset created by the International Monetary Fund, is used by the RBA as a currency-neutral unit of account to measure the index. In Australian dollar terms, the index slipped 0.7% in June.Despite the June decline, the index has climbed 16.9% over the past year in SDR terms, with gains in gold, coking coal, and rural commodities more than offsetting weakness in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and alumina, while the index is up 8% in Australian dollar terms over the same period, the report added.A spot price measure of the bulk commodities index showed a monthly decline of 2.4% in SDR terms in June, though it remains 19.7% higher on a year-on-year basis, it added.

ASX 200
Asia

Australian Shares Decline; South32 Strikes $6 Billion Deal to Sell Aluminum Assets to Alcoa

Australian shares closed lower on Wednesday as investors reacted to pessimism around a potential peace deal after Iran said it would not meet US envoys.The S&P/ASX 200 Index declined 0.64%, or by 55.80 points, to close at 8,722.90.Brent crude oil futures rose 0.5% to $73.31 per barrel, while gold eased 0.4% to $3,990 per ounce.On the domestic front, Australian manufacturing activity improved modestly in June, with employment and inventories rising even as output and new orders continued to contract amid elevated costs, supply-chain delays, and uncertainty driven by Middle East tensions. The headline seasonally adjusted S&P Global Australia Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) rose to 51.5 in June from 50.7 in May, signalling a third consecutive month of expansion in the sector.The Australian Industry Index continued to signal weakness in June, declining to negative 30 in seasonally adjusted terms, indicating a broad slowdown across industrial sectors, according to a report released by the Australian Industry Group.The number of dwelling approvals in Australia declined 1.1% in May from the previous month to 17,019 after edging 0.2% lower in April, according to seasonally adjusted data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.In company news, South32 (ASX:S32) struck a deal to sell its aluminum assets to Alcoa (ASX:AAI) for an implied enterprise value of as much as $5.6 billion. Under the deal, Alcoa will acquire South32's 86% interest in Western Australia-based Worsley Alumina, full ownership of Hillside Aluminum in South Africa, 33% stake in Brazil's MRN bauxite mine, 36% in Brazil Alumina refinery, and 40% in Brazil Aluminum smelter.Coles Group's (ASX:COL) proposed acquisition of a leasehold for a new supermarket and liquor site in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area of Western Australia would materially harm competition in the retail groceries space, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said.Lastly, Magellan Financial Group (ASX:MFG) said it completed its merger with Barrenjoey Capital Partners Group after receiving overwhelming shareholder support at the extraordinary general meeting on April 10 and satisfying all regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

ASX 200ASX:AAIASX:COLASX:MFGASX:S32
Asia

ASX Midday Sector Update: Healthcare Stocks Advance, Consumer Staples Sector Struggles

Healthcare stocks advanced over 1% at midday Wednesday.CSL (ASX:CSL) gained nearly 3% in recent trade.Meanwhile, the consumer staples sector struggled, shedding nearly 3%.Woolworths Group (ASX:WOW) shares fell past 2% in recent trade.

ASX 200ASX:CSLASX:WOW
International

Australia Building Approvals Decelerate Further in May

The number of dwelling approvals in Australia declined 1.1% in May from the previous month to 17,019 after edging 0.2% lower in April, according to seasonally adjusted data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday.The decline was driven by a more than 10% fall in private dwellings excluding houses, following a 4% increase in April, the ABS said.Private sector houses rose 2.8% to 10,537, hitting the highest level since September 2021 and marking the fourth straight month with over 10,000 private sector houses approved.The value of total residential building fell 5.7% to AU$10.24 billion, while the value of total non-residential building jumped 41% to AU$10.83 billion.A breakdown by state showed May dwelling approvals in Queensland falling 8.8%, Victoria down 3%, and Western Australia declining 1.3%. Approvals in South Australia rose nearly 11%, Tasmania up 4.8%, and New South Wales posting a 2.2% increase.

ASX 200
Australia's Manufacturing Sector Expands in June Despite Weak Demand, Rising Prices
US Markets

Australia's Manufacturing Sector Expands in June Despite Weak Demand, Rising Prices

Australia's manufacturing sector expanded in June despite a continued decline in output and new orders amid market uncertainty and rising prices.The headline seasonally adjusted S&P Global Australia Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 51.5 in June from 50.7 in May, being above the no-change mark of 50 for the third consecutive month and at its highest level since January.S&P's report showed that Australian manufacturing firms increased their staffing levels while struggling to acquire new business amid reports that uncertainty and rising prices had limited demand.The fall in new orders and decline in production for the fifth consecutive month, albeit at a softer pace than before.Concerns over timely material supplies prompted manufacturers to increase input inventories in June. Pre-production stocks rose for the second time in three months, reaching their highest level since September, while purchasing activity edged lower.Hopes of improving geopolitics and stronger new orders have lifted confidence in the year-ahead manufacturing outlook, according to S&P, as sentiment rose to a four-month high in June but remained below pre-Middle East war levels.According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more manufacturing firms experienced supply chain disruptions in June compared to May, as ABS's June business conditions and sentiments survey showed that almost half of Australian businesses saw increased operating expenses.

ASX 200
International

Australian Industry Index Continues to Show Weakness in June, Australian Industry Group Says

The Australian Industry Index continued to signal weakness in June, declining to negative 30 in seasonally adjusted terms, indicating a broad slowdown across industrial sectors, according to a report released by the Australian Industry Group on Wednesday.The activity, employment, and new orders indicators fell to some of their lowest levels recorded outside the pandemic, the report said.The activity and sales indicator declined to negative 42.4 in June, showing low activity, consumer behavior uncertainty, and customer order delays, while the employment indicator edged down further, remaining in contraction at negative 15.5, with skilled staff shortages, rising wage costs, and staff availability challenges.New orders decreased by 5.1 points to negative 41, while input volumes increased by 3.3 to negative 6.9 and have remained flat over the past year.Meanwhile, pricing indicators continued to trend upward in June, with the largest 61.3 point gap recorded between input costs and sales prices, indicating the highest level of pressure on profit margins in the series.The impact of the energy crisis on industry showed signs of easing in June, with moderating fuel prices, but negative effects on business operations remain prevalent.The Australian PMI (manufacturing) rose 4.5 points to negative 16.8, while the Australian PCI (construction) fell 26.9 points to negative 38.1, per the report.

ASX 200
International

Australian Manufacturing Activity Rises in June Despite Output Weakness

Australian manufacturing activity improved modestly in June, with employment and inventories rising even as output and new orders continued to contract amid elevated costs, supply-chain delays, and uncertainty driven by Middle East tensions, according to a survey by S&P Global published Wednesday.The headline seasonally adjusted S&P Global Australia Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) rose to 51.5 in June from 50.7 in May, signaling a third consecutive month of expansion in the sector.The headline PMI showed a modest monthly improvement, driven by higher employment and inventories and a further lengthening of suppliers' delivery times.New orders and output continued to decline in June, though the pace of contraction eased as export demand returned to growth despite ongoing client uncertainty and price pressures, per the report.Manufacturing output fell for the fifth straight month in June, as weaker new orders, a broader economic slowdown, and rising prices weighed on output, though the rate of decline eased to a marginal pace.Prices continued to climb amid the ongoing fallout from the Middle East conflict, though the pace of inflation eased compared with May as input cost pressures began to moderate.Supply-chain pressures intensified again in June as the ongoing Middle East conflict extended lead times, prompting manufacturers to stockpile inputs even as purchasing activity edged lower.Manufacturers added staff for a second consecutive month in June as firms replaced departing workers and prepared for new projects, even as new orders fell and backlogs were reduced further.Manufacturing confidence climbed in June to a four-month peak, supported by hopes of improved geopolitical conditions and increased new orders, though it stayed below levels seen before the Middle East conflict began.

ASX 200
Asia

ASX Preview: Australian Shares Set to Rise with US-Iran Talks in Focus; South32 Strikes $6 Billion Deal to Sell Aluminum Assets to Alcoa

Australian shares are poised to rise on Wednesday, tracking steady oil prices that were little changed but set for their steepest monthly and quarterly losses since early 2020, as investors weighed US-Iran talks in Doha and fragile ceasefire dynamics.Overnight, the S&P 500, the Nasdaq Composite, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.8%, 1.5%, and 0.3%, respectively.In the macroeconomy, Australian manufacturing activity improved modestly in June, with employment and inventories rising even as output and new orders continued to contract amid elevated costs, supply-chain delays, and uncertainty driven by Middle East tensions, according to a survey by S&P Global published Wednesday.Australian housing market worsened in June, recording the largest month-on-month decline in home values since Dec. 2022, as pessimistic sentiment grew amid rising cost-of-living pressures, Cotality said Wednesday.In corporate news, South32 (ASX:S32) struck a deal to sell its aluminum assets to Alcoa (ASX:AAI) for an implied enterprise value of as much as $5.6 billion.Coles Group's (ASX:COL) proposed acquisition of a leasehold for a new supermarket and liquor site in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area of Western Australia would materially harm competition in the retail groceries space, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said Wednesday following a phase two review.Australia's benchmark index fell 0.5% or 44.7 points to close at 8,778.70 on Tuesday.

ASX 200ASX:AAIASX:COLASX:S32
International

Australian Housing Market Downturn Deepens in June, Says Cotality

Australian housing market worsened in June, recording the largest month-on-month decline in home values since Dec. 2022, as pessimistic sentiment grew amid rising cost-of-living pressures, Cotality said Wednesday.Cotality's national Home Value Index fell 0.4% in June, dragged by a 3.2% fall in Sydney and a 2.6% slide in Melbourne, while mid-sized capitals also witnessed a sharp slowdown in growth.Market conditions were already challenging, with affordability hurdles emerging even before interest rates rose by 75 basis points. Property tax changes announced in the federal budget are also deepening the downturn, the firm added.The weaker housing market was also reflected in other indicators, including auction clearance rates, home sales estimates, and the number of properties listed for sale.Auction clearance rates fell below 50%, and capital city sales for the three months ended June dropped 16.2% year-on-year, it added.

ASX 200
Asia

Australian Shares Down; Euroz Hartleys Group Agrees to Sell Capital Markets Business to BMO Australia

Australian shares closed lower on Tuesday as gold prices fell on prospects of cessation of the conflict in the Middle East, as well as a strengthening US dollar.The S&P/ASX 200 Index declined 0.51%, or by 44.70 points, to close at 8,778.70.Brent crude oil futures were trading around pre-conflict prices of $72 per barrel after the US and Iran had agreed to halt renewed hostilities. Gold fell to around $4,000 per ounce.On the domestic front, Australia's total credit rose 0.7% month over month in May, following a 0.7% increase in April, data from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) showed. Housing credit rose 0.5% after edging 0.6% higher the previous month, while personal credit inched up 0.6%, following a 0.2% increase.Australian consumer confidence rose 3.1 points in the week of June 22 to 28 to 75.9 points, its highest level since early March, ANZ said. The four-week moving average rose 1.8 points to 72.6 points.Almost half, or 46%, of businesses in Australia reported operating expenses had increased over the past four weeks, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed. Fuel prices, which jumped 71%, and business overheads, which rose 65%, were reported as the main reasons for increased operating expenses.In company news, Euroz Hartleys Group's (ASX:EZL) Euroz Hartleys unit agreed to sell its Capital Markets business to BMO Australia, a subsidiary of the Bank of Montreal, for AU$145 million. Euroz Hartleys and BMO will also enter into an alliance agreement to maintain the relationship between the Capital Markets and Private Wealth businesses.Capricorn Metals' (ASX:CMM) Crimson Metals subsidiary received approval from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water for the expansion and operation of the Mount Gibson project in Western Australia.Collins Foods (ASX:CKF) reported fiscal 2026 underlying earnings of AU$0.52 per basic share from continuing operations, up from AU$0.461 a year earlier. Revenue for the 12 months ended May 3 was AU$1.59 billion, compared with AU$1.47 billion a year earlier.

ASX 200ASX:CKFASX:CMMASX:EZL
Asia

Asia-Pacific Banks Stable Amid Negative Market Events, S&P Says

Asia-Pacific banks continue to be stable despite lingering adverse market events such as the Middle East conflict and inflationary pressures, S&P Global Ratings said on Tuesday.The region's banks have limited direct Middle East exposure, S&P financial institution ratings sector lead Gavin Gunning said.Spillover effects from the conflict pose the greatest risk for the banks, with the indirect impact being manageable but increasing for certain economies, Gunning said.S&P holds a stable outlook on 92% of rated Asia-Pacific banks, indicating stable trends over the next one to two years.Financial institutions have ample buffers for war-linked constraints, although credit losses could increase by $180 billion under S&P's downside scenario.Banks also face medium risk from the negative hit of technological advancements such as AI-linked cyber risks, S&P said.

ASX 200Hang SengNikkei 225Shanghai Composite^SZSE
International

RBA's June Meeting Note Highlights Monetary Policy Board's Hawkishness, ANZ Says

The minutes for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) monetary policy board's June meeting highlighted the board's hawkishness and the risk of a further rate hike, but the cash rate is forecast to remain at 4.35% for the next year or so, ANZ said in a note on Tuesday.The board members had noted that information received since the previous meeting supported the view that the economy was operating "with excess demand and widespread inflationary pressures." The slowing in economic activity is described as being "as expected" and "broadly in line with earlier expectations."The minutes added that the labor market was maybe a little weaker than the board expected, although it "cautioned against reading too much into monthly data outcomes." The housing market was also easing "by more than expected," due to recent increases in the cash rate, tax changes, and the wider economic environment.Given the inflation outlook, there is likely to be some form of tolerance on the RBA's part for weak activity data, the lender said.

ASX 200
International

Australia's Monthly Increase in Total Credit Flat in May, RBA Says

Australia's total credit rose 0.7% month over month in May, following a 0.7% increase in April, data from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) showed on Tuesday.Housing credit rose 0.5% after edging 0.6% higher the previous month, while personal credit inched up 0.6%, following a 0.2% increase.Business credit advanced 1% after a 0.7% increase recorded in the previous month.Broad money climbed 0.3%, following a 0.8% growth in the previous month.Total credit jumped 8.2% in the year ended May, compared with the 6.9% increase in the year ended May 2025.

ASX 200

Showing 121-140 of 569

Track with the FINWIRES app suite

FolioX
FolioX
Track S&P/ASX 200 in your portfolio
WheelAI
WheelAI
Analyze S&P/ASX 200 options with the wheel strategy
StockInsider
StockInsider
See market sentiment on S&P/ASX 200