- What Matters Today in Markets: Listen here each morning or find all Market Matters Podcasts on Spotify.
- FY26 Reporting Calendar in PDF Format: Here and in Excel Format: Here
The local market started the week on stronger footing today, rallying sharply at midday before giving back some of the gains through the afternoon. The move was overwhelmingly driven by Resources, hitting a fresh all-time high as copper, lithium, uranium, gold and iron ore names rallied together as BHP pushed to a record high.
Today’s move leaves the market leaning increasingly heavily on Resources for leadership, with the banks remaining under pressure. That divergence will be important this week, with US PCE inflation, Nvidia’s result and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s first Jackson Hole speech all looming.
- ASX 200: +44.22pts (+0.49%) to 9,103.10
- AUD/USD: 0.7167, flat
- Best sectors: Materials +2.43%, IT +0.97%, Healthcare +0.62%
- Worst sectors: Consumer Staples -0.95%, Financials -0.72%, Utilities -0.48%
Uranium was another standout pocket, with Paladin (ASX: PDN) +10.59% to $11.70, Deep Yellow (ASX: DYL) +11.55% to $1.69 and NexGen Energy (ASX: NXG) +6.15% to $15.36 all sharply higher as global uranium equities rallied and investors rotated back into the sector alongside the broader Resources move. - Copper remained firmly in focus as prices pushed back above US$14,000/t, with another production setback at the Kamoa-Kakula mine adding to concerns around already-tight supply. The backdrop remains supportive for local copper exposures as electrification and AI infrastructure continue to lift longer-term demand expectations.
- WiseTech Global (ASX: WTC) +2.74% to $43.49 continued to recover from last week’s ACCC-driven sell-off. Held in the Active Growth Portfolio.
- Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN) +2.48% to $15.73 firmed with the gold and broader resources complex. Held in the Active Growth Portfolio.
- BHP (ASX: BHP) +3.01% to $67.12 hit a fresh record high of $67.72, taking its gain for the year to ~50%. The move came as copper, iron ore and the broader commodity complex rallied, helping propel the ASX Materials Index to its first record high since June. Held in the Active Growth and Income Portfolios.
- Reece (REH) +2.18% to $16.90 delivered a mixed FY26 result, with a solid recovery in Australia and New Zealand partially offset by a weaker US segment. Held in the Active Growth Portfolio.
- PLS Group (ASX: PLS) +7.89% to $5.47 rallied after delivering a record FY26 as higher lithium prices, record sales volumes and lower costs drove a significant earnings recovery. Held in the Active Growth Portfolio.
- Ansell (ASX: ANN) +9.57% to $38.24 hit a five-year high after FY27 EPS guidance landed around 8% ahead of consensus.
- Ventia (ASX: VNT) +4.67% to $5.83 rallied after management reaffirmed FY26 net profit (NPATA) growth guidance of 7-10%.
- Ampol (ASX: ALD) +4.32% to $41.57 climbed after first-half profit surged almost fivefold to $857.2m, supported by exceptionally strong refining margins during the disruption to global fuel markets.
- Adore Beauty (ASX: ABY) +21.31% to 37cstaged a sharp turnaround from early weakness despite reporting a full-year loss, with investors looking through the headline result as the online beauty retailer navigates a difficult consumer backdrop.
- Regal Partners (ASX: RPL) -2.76% to $2.82 fell despite normalised first-half NPAT more than doubling to $93.3m, helped by $118.7m of performance fees and record net inflows of $1.4bn. The market instead focused on co-founder Phil King’s decision to retire and the transition away from a single-CIO structure.
- Bendigo & Adelaide Bank (ASX: BEN) -0.38% to $10.45 posted a modest result with most metrics in line, as FY26 cash earnings edged higher to $530.2m.
- nib Holdings (ASX: NHF) -9.05% to $6.73 fell despite underlying operating profit rising 9.1% to $260.9m and the full-year dividend beating expectations. NPAT declined 5.9%, while claims inflation and one-off costs remained a drag.
- Aussie Broadband (ASX: ABB) -6.53% to $4.72 weakened despite underlying NPATA beating expectations by around 3% and the dividend coming in 20% ahead of forecasts. The problem was FY27 guidance, with underlying EBITDA of $205-215m implying strong growth but landing roughly 4% below market expectations.
- Endeavour Group (ASX: EDV) -4.72% to $3.23 fell as management highlighted an uncertain consumer outlook and softer spending across its hotels business. FY27 wage growth is expected to absorb much of the planned $100m cost-out program.
- EVT (ASX: EVT) +8.88% to $15.33 surged after announcing it was exploring the sale of around $800m of non-core assets, allowing the group to sharpen its focus on the hotel business.
- Gold: firmed around US$4,650 / +1%
- Brent crude: around US$92.80/bbl / -1.5%
- Iron Ore: US$97.80 / -0.4%
- S&P 500 E-mini futures: -18.50pts / -0.24%
- Dow E-mini futures: -54.00pts / -0.09%
- FTSE futures: -10pts / -0.15%
