Stocks in Australia Hit 4-week High

The ASX 200 jumped 149 points, or 1.7%, to close at 8,729 on Tuesday, its highest in nearly four weeks. Local markets rebounded from the prior session’s weakness as trading resumed post-Easter, with broad gains led by producer manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and finance. Sentiment was buoyed by Wall Street’s S&P 500 and Nasdaq on Monday, which rose for the fourth straight session, ahead of a U.N. vote on protecting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Gains were limited, however, after Australia’s monthly inflation gauge surged 1.3% mom in March, reversing February’s 0.2% drop and marking the sharpest rise on record, underscoring renewed price pressures since H2 2025. Meanwhile, job ads shrank the most in six months, and services activity contracted for the first time in over two years. Standout performers included Lynas Rare Earths (4.6%), Greatland Resources (4.0%), Mineral Resources (3.4%), and BHP Group (2.9%). Meanwhile, the four largest banks gained between 1.7% and 2.6%.

ASX200 increased to 8760.00 Index Points, the highest since March 2026. Over the past 4 weeks, Australia Stock Market Index (AU200) gained 1.78%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 16.54%.

Australian stocks surged 173 points, or 2.0%, to a four-week top of 8,753 in early deals Tuesday, rebounding from the prior session’s losses, as traders returned from holidays amid stronger U.S. equity futures. Overnight gains on Wall Street boosted sentiment, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq gaining for a fourth straight rise, their longest winning streaks since January. Investors monitored potential progress toward a U.S.-Iran ceasefire while weighing President Trump’s forceful warnings of escalation should Iran refuse to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, market strength was capped by PMI data showing services activity in Australia shrank in March, the first time since January 2024, as geopolitical risks and rising costs pressured demand. All ASX 200 sectors contributed to the upturn, led by commercial services, non-energy minerals, financials, and logistics. Standouts included Lynas Rare Earths (5.3%), Northern Star Resources (4.5%), BlueScope Steel (3.1%), and BHP Group (3.0%).