FX.co ★ Australian Shares Start the Week in Red

The S&P/ASX 200 index experienced a slight decrease of 0.2% to 8,603 on Monday. This decline comes after a week of gains and is primarily attributed to strong economic data, which has led to concerns about potential interest rate increases by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Notably, the manufacturing PMI reached a three-month high in November, and ANZ-Indeed Job Ads showed a slower decline, indicating a possible easing in the labor market. Investors are closely watching the upcoming third-quarter GDP figures, anticipating that robust growth could intensify speculation about a possible rate hike in early 2026. Although solid economic growth is usually favorable, it poses challenges in the context of rising inflationary pressures, as evidenced by the annual inflation rate reaching its highest point since mid-2024. Financial stocks were notably affected, with ANZ Group Holdings declining by 0.9%, and both National Australia Bank and Westpac Banking Corporation decreasing by 0.6%. The healthcare sector also faced setbacks, with Sigma Healthcare dropping 1.9%, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare falling 1%, and CSL Limited seeing a decline of 0.9%.