The ASX 200 rose 33 points, or 0.4%, to close at 8,841 on Wednesday, its highest finish in a week following two subdued sessions. Risk appetite improved after softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data eased pressure for near-term interest rate hikes. At the same time, China’s weakest annual GDP growth since 2022 in the second quarter boosted expectations of additional stimulus from Australia’s largest trading partner, even as officials warned that external risks remain elevated and demand continues to trail supply.
Further gains were limited by caution ahead of next week’s domestic labor market report. Sector performance was mixed: electronic technology, commercial services, and producer manufacturing led the advance, while logistics, healthcare, and consumer non-durables lagged.
Among the heavyweights, BHP jumped 3.4% ahead of Thursday’s production update, Rio Tinto added 1.2% after beating iron ore sales forecasts, and Macquarie gained 1.6% to reach a record high. In contrast, energy names weakened, with Woodside Energy down 1%, Santos off 0.7%, and Whitehaven Coal easing 0.3%.
