August 2024

The Australian sharemarket retreated on Thursday afternoon, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index declining 0.3% or 23.4 points to 7676.4. A sell-off in mining and property stocks, alongside a broader market pullback, weighed on the index. The materials sector dropped 1.5%, with BHP Group down 1.9%, Rio Tinto losing 1.8%, and Fortescue Metals falling 0.8% as Singapore iron ore futures slid 1.7% to $US99.2 per tonne. Property stocks were also hit, down 2.3%, as Goodman Group fell 2.5% and Scentre Group lost 1.5%. Mirvac shares plunged 9.5% after forecasting lower FY2025 earnings.

Australian shares rose in early afternoon trading, buoyed by positive sentiment from Wall Street and Asia as investors reassess market and interest rate outlooks. The S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.6%, or 42.9 points, to 7723.5, reversing a 0.3% loss at the open. This follows a 0.4% rebound in the previous session after Monday’s sharp sell-off.

The Australian sharemarket maintained its gains despite the Reserve Bank holding the cash rate steady at 4.35%, citing persistent inflation concerns. The S&P/ASX 200 Index was up 0.8%, trading at 7,708.7 points in late trading, with six of 11 sectors in positive territory.

The Australian sharemarket is experiencing its steepest sell-off in two years, driven by escalating U.S. recession concerns. The S&P/ASX 200 index has dropped 2.7%, or 220 points, to 7722, extending Friday’s 2.1% decline. This 5% two-day loss marks the worst single-day drop since June 2022, when U.S. inflation surged to a 40-year high, unsettling global markets.