Asia
Australian Shares Flat; Electro Optic Systems Amends Terms for Acquisition of MARSS Group Assets
Australian shares receded on Friday as US Treasury yields rose to the highest level in nearly a year.The S&P/ASX 200 Index was little changed to close at 8,630.80.Brent crude oil futures climbed to around $107 per barrel as the Strait of Hormuz remained closed. Copper prices retreated from a record high, while gold prices fell towards $4,600 per ounce.The 30-year US Treasury yield rose to 5.067%, the highest since July 2025, Reuters reported.On the domestic front, trimmed mean inflation in Australia is forecast to have risen 0.3% month-over-month in April, which would see annual growth accelerate to 3.4% and three-month annualized growth around 3.2%, ANZ said.Headline inflation is likely to have risen 0.5% month-over-month, or 4.3% on an annual basis.In company news, Electro Optic Systems Holdings (ASX:EOS) agreed revised agreement terms for its acquisition of the assets of the MARSS group business. The upfront payment of $36 million for MARSS will be made on Friday, and the receipt of the funds by the MARSS vendors and the completion of the acquisition are expected in the coming days. Its shares rose 3% on market close.ClearView Wealth (ASX:CVW) said the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ruled that the proposed acquisition of all of its shares by Zurich Financial Services Australia through a members' scheme of arrangement may be put into effect. Its shares closed up 1%.Lastly, Alkane Resources (ASX:ALK) reported fiscal third-quarter earnings of AU$0.0675 per share, up from AU$0.0132 a year earlier. Revenue for the three months ended March 31 was AU$274.4 million, compared with AU$63.2 million a year earlier. Its shares fell 3% on market close.
ASX 200ASX:ALKASX:CVWASX:EOS
