ASX 200 Pauses Ahead of U.S. Inflation, China Trade Data

2026-07-13 06:49 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

The ASX 200 closed almost flat at 8,808 on Monday, with strength in communications, finance, and energy minerals offsetting weakness in tech, industrials, and consumer stocks.

The local market pulled back from the prior session’s gains amid weaker U.S.

stock futures, with traders anticipating a heavy week of catalysts, including U.S.

inflation data and Fed Chair Warsh’s testimony, alongside June trade performance and Q2 GDP releases in main trading partner China.

Locally, July consumer and business mood will also be due this week.

Mining names eased ahead of quarterly updates, with BHP (-0.1%) and Rio Tinto (-0.3%) inching lower, while tech lagged on sharp falls in Xero (-4.5%) and WiseTech (-2.1%).

Gold miners also slipped, led by Northern Star (-2.6%) and Evolution (-1.6%).

In contrast, Woodside Energy rose 0.9% as oil prices climbed on renewed Middle East tensions after fresh U.S.

strikes on Iran.

The big four banks added between 0.3% and 1.3%, lending support to the broader index.



News Stream
ASX 200 Pauses Ahead of U.S. Inflation, China Trade Data
The ASX 200 closed almost flat at 8,808 on Monday, with strength in communications, finance, and energy minerals offsetting weakness in tech, industrials, and consumer stocks. The local market pulled back from the prior session’s gains amid weaker U.S. stock futures, with traders anticipating a heavy week of catalysts, including U.S. inflation data and Fed Chair Warsh’s testimony, alongside June trade performance and Q2 GDP releases in main trading partner China. Locally, July consumer and business mood will also be due this week. Mining names eased ahead of quarterly updates, with BHP (-0.1%) and Rio Tinto (-0.3%) inching lower, while tech lagged on sharp falls in Xero (-4.5%) and WiseTech (-2.1%). Gold miners also slipped, led by Northern Star (-2.6%) and Evolution (-1.6%). In contrast, Woodside Energy rose 0.9% as oil prices climbed on renewed Middle East tensions after fresh U.S. strikes on Iran. The big four banks added between 0.3% and 1.3%, lending support to the broader index.
2026-07-13
Australia Stocks Opens Week on Softer Footing
Australian shares eased in early Monday trade, with the ASX 200 hovering near 8,797 after last week’s strength. Sentiment was dampened by weaker U.S. futures and renewed geopolitical tension, as reports of U.S.–Iran airstrikes and Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz weighed on risk appetite. Investors also turned cautious ahead of key economic data in top trading partner China later this week, including June trade balance and activity figures, as well as Q2 GDP prints. Locally, July confidence surveys for households and businesses will also be released, along with inflation expectations. Sector moves were uneven: tech services, industrials, and healthcare slipped, with Northern Star (-2.5%), Coles (-2.0%), Evolution (-1.4%), and Origin (-2.7%) among notable laggards. Meanwhile, miners provided some support, with BHP up 0.5% and Rio Tinto adding 0.2%. Financials were modestly firmer, as three of the big four banks rose between 0.1% and 0.4%.
2026-07-13
ASX 200 Recovers on Mining Gains Despite Weekly Decline
The ASX 200 rose 44 points, or 0.5%, to close at 8,806 on Friday, snapping a four-session losing streak after a subdued start amid gains in miners, financials, and industrial stocks. Mining shares rallied as iron ore and copper prices strengthened, with heavyweight BHP Group, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue advancing between 2.0% and 3.8%. The big four banks added between 0.3% and 0.7%. However, the benchmark index lost 0.4% for the week, reversing the prior week's gains as investors turned cautious after the IMF cut its 2026 growth forecast for Australia to 1.9% from 2.0%, and warned that inflation is likely to remain elevated at around 4% this year. Looking ahead, investors will monitor key economic releases from China next week, including June trade figures, activity data, and second-quarter GDP, for clues on demand in Australia's largest export market. Locally, attention will also turn to July business and consumer confidence surveys, as well as consumer inflation expectations.
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