The Australian sharemarket fell sharply on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 dropping 1.4 per cent to 8517.70 by midday AEDT—its weakest level since June. A steep sell-down in technology stocks led the decline, driven by investor caution ahead of Nvidia’s earnings and renewed uncertainty over the interest-rate outlook. The sector tumbled 5.4 per cent, with TechnologyOne plunging 14 per cent after its annual recurring revenue outlook disappointed, while WiseTech and Xero fell 5.1 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.

The Australian sharemarket edged lower on Monday, positioning the ASX 200 for its fifth straight decline — the longest losing run since June — as investors await the return of key US economic data following the government shutdown. By 2pm AEDT, the benchmark slipped 0.2 per cent to 8619.70, with seven of 11 sectors in negative territory, extending a 2.4 per cent slide across the current downturn.

The Australian sharemarket slid sharply on Thursday after a stronger-than-expected jobs report dampened hopes of a 2025 interest-rate cut. The S&P/ASX 200 fell as much as 1 per cent to a 10-week low, with the unemployment rate unexpectedly dropping to 4.3 per cent in October alongside a 42,200 jobs surge. Money markets slashed the probability of a June RBA cut to 30 per cent, down from 80 per cent a week earlier.

The ASX 200 rose 0.1% to 8833.8 on Wednesday, supported by strength in energy and mining stocks, while losses in tech and financials capped gains. Rio Tinto rallied 2.6% and BHP added 0.8% after a rebound in iron ore prices. Mineral Resources surged 9% after selling a $1.2 billion stake in its lithium business to South Korea’s POSCO, while Liontown jumped 6% on a new digital trading partnership. Gold miners extended their rally as bullion climbed to US$4,134 an ounce, with Evolution up 2.3%.

The ASX surged on Monday, tracking global optimism after US senators reached a deal to reopen the government, lifting investor sentiment. By 2pm AEDT, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.6% to 8822.5, on track for its best day in two weeks. Wall Street futures also strengthened, with Nasdaq up 1%.

The Australian sharemarket edged lower on Friday, heading for its second straight weekly loss as investor sentiment cooled following the Reserve Bank’s decision to keep rates unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.5% to 8787.1 at 2:10pm AEDT, with the benchmark on track for a 1% weekly decline.