Author name: Jonathan Tacadena

Australian shares rose midday, tracking US gains as global rate cuts and expectations of Chinese stimulus supported markets. The S&P/ASX 200 is up 0.9% at 8298.5 points, with tech stocks leading a broad advance.

Australian shares fell on Thursday, led by a 2% drop in the real estate sector, as concerns about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff policies and inflationary measures overshadowed Wall Street’s post-election rally. The S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.5%, or 38.2 points, to 8161.3, after a 0.8% gain the previous day. The decline was driven by weakness in rate-sensitive sectors, with major banks and mining stocks under pressure. Real estate stocks like Goodman Group and Stockland fell over 3%, while big banks, including National Australia Bank (-3%) and Westpac (-3.4%), posted losses following profit reports.

Australian shares rallied on Wednesday afternoon, tracking a strong lead from Wall Street. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 0.9%, or 76 points, to 8207.8 by 2:21 PM AEDT, with all 11 sectors in the green. The consumer discretionary sector led gains, rising 1.4%, with Wesfarmers up 1.6% and JB Hi-Fi adding 2.4%. All major banks posted gains, with National Australia Bank leading at 1.2%.

Australian shares slipped as voting in the pivotal US presidential election commenced, widely seen as the year’s most significant market event. The S&P/ASX 200 Index fell 32.8 points, or 0.4%, to close at 8131.8. This followed declines in US equities, a rise in Treasuries, and a dip in the dollar amid indications that Kamala Harris was leading in a key battleground state, unsettling bets on a Trump comeback.

The Australian sharemarket saw early afternoon gains, following a positive Wall Street lead, with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 0.6% (47.7 points) to 8166.5 after a 1.1% decline last week—its worst since August. Tech and utilities led sector gains, while mining and energy fell amid a volatile outlook as investors prepared for US elections, corporate earnings, and central bank meetings.

Australian shares fell to a seven-week low on Friday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.9% or 75 points to 8085 by early afternoon, after declines earlier this week. Financials led the downturn as Macquarie Group dropped 4.3%, hitting a one-month low due to disappointing first-half FY25 profits and a dividend cut. The big four banks all declined over 1%, with National Australia Bank down 2.2%.

Australian shares slipped midday as utilities and consumer staples weighed on the S&P/ASX 200 Index, down 0.2% or 12.1 points to 8168.3. Utilities led losses, with AGL Energy falling 6% after Barrenjoey downgraded it to underweight, citing the expiry of cheap coal and gas supply contracts, which prompted reduced future earnings estimates.

The Australian sharemarket advanced, following Wall Street’s gains, as consumer discretionary and mining stocks led the rally. By early afternoon, the S&P/ASX 200 Index was up 0.5 percent, adding 41.6 points to reach 8263.1.