What's Affecting Markets Today
ASX Stocks
ASX falls despite Miners Rising; Ansell and Aussie Broadband Surge
The Australian sharemarket edged higher on Monday as strength in mining offset weakness in financials, with investors digesting a wave of earnings results. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 3.9 points to 8971.30 at 3.05pm AEST, after briefly hitting a record intraday high of 9054.50. Sentiment was supported by US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s signal that rate cuts could begin as early as next month.
Bank stocks remained under pressure, with Commonwealth Bank down 1.3 per cent, Westpac 1.1 per cent, ANZ 0.9 per cent and NAB 0.3 per cent weaker. Bendigo Bank bucked the trend, rising 3.1 per cent despite reporting a $97.1 million loss. Miners led gains, with BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals up around 3 per cent as iron ore prices firmed, while Pilbara Minerals added 2.8 per cent. Energy also lifted, with Santos rising 1.4 per cent.
Among company standouts, Ansell jumped 8.9 per cent on strong earnings, NIB rose 2.7 per cent, and Southern Cross Media soared 16.7 per cent. Aussie Broadband rocketed 19.7 per cent after upgrading its 2026 outlook.
ASX 200 8,973.5 (+0.07%)
Asia-Pacific Markets Advance on Fed Rate Cut Hopes
Asian equities climbed on Monday, buoyed by optimism that the US Federal Reserve could begin cutting interest rates as early as next month following Jerome Powell’s comments at Jackson Hole.
Hong Kong led the region, with the Hang Seng Index surging 2.11% to approach a four-year high. Property developers and technology stocks drove gains, while the Hang Seng Tech Index jumped 3.11% as Nio surged 14.73% and ASMPT added 6.74%. Mainland China’s CSI 300 rose 1.39%, extending its winning streak to four sessions and touching a 37-month high. Analysts at Goldman Sachs noted that maturing deposits, declining rates, and potential capital rotation could continue to fuel equity inflows.
Taiwan’s Taiex index advanced 2.47%, while South Korea’s Kospi climbed 1.14% and the Kosdaq gained 1.92%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.27% and the broader Topix added 0.1%.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.22% after briefly surpassing the 9,000 mark, while India’s Nifty 50 and Sensex rose 0.35% and 0.23% respectively. Investors now await Singapore’s July inflation data, expected to show stable price growth.
Leaders
ABB Aussie Broadband Ltd (+18.83%)
WA1 WA1 Resources Ltd (+11.54%)
DGT Digico Infrastructure REIT (+10.70%)
MP1 Megaport Ltd (+10.42%)
RRL Regis Resources Ltd (+8.85%)
Laggards
REH Reece Ltd (-15.32%)
EVT EVT Ltd (-14.53%)
RSG Resolute Mining Ltd (-7.43%)
SMR Stanmore Resources Ltd (-5.73%)
OCL Objective Corporation Ltd (-4.86%)
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