Market update: 25 August 2026
Australian shares edged lower this week, with the ASX 200 falling 0.6% as weakness on Wall Street and rising oil prices renewed concerns about inflation. Six of the market’s eleven sectors finished lower, led by consumer discretionary and financial stocks, while gold miners performed strongly amid volatility in bond markets. Reporting season also remained firmly in focus, with investors reacting sharply to individual company results and outlooks.
In the US, shares fell for a second consecutive week, with the S&P 500 down 1.4% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq falling 2.1%. Rising longer-term government bond yields became a major focus for investors, with the 30-year US Treasury yield reaching its highest level since 2007. This outweighed a weaker July jobs report and reduced expectations for further Federal Reserve rate rises.
European markets also finished lower as higher oil prices and bond yields kept inflation concerns front of mind, although UK shares performed better. Japanese shares had a particularly difficult week, with the Nikkei falling 3.9% as higher oil prices and uncertainty in the Middle East weighed on investor sentiment. Japan’s annual core inflation came in at 1.8%, in line with expectations, leaving expectations for the Bank of Japan’s next steps broadly unchanged.
Chinese markets were mixed. The Shanghai Composite fell 0.6%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 3.6%. China’s central bank kept its key one- and five-year lending rates unchanged, while softer domestic demand and slowing industrial activity continued to weigh on the outlook for mainland Chinese shares.
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This blog has been issued by Instreet Investment Limited (ACN 128 813 016 AFSL 434776) as Responsible Entity of the Raiz Invest Australia Fund (ARSN 607 533 022) and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on such information, you should
This blog has been issued by Instreet Investment Limited (ACN 128 813 016 AFSL 434776) as Responsible Entity of the Raiz Invest Australia Fund (ARSN 607 533 022).
Raiz Invest Australia Limited (ABN 26 604 402 815) (Corporate Authorised Representative of Instreet Investment Limited ABN 44 128 813 016, AFSL 434776) is the promoter of Raiz Invest Super, a Division of AMG Super. The Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), Member Guide and Target Market Determination (TMD) are issued by Equity Trustees Superannuation Limited (AFSL 229757, RSE Licence No L0001458) as Trustee of AMG Super.
The information has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on such information, you should conduct your own review or consult a financial advisor before making a decision to invest. Please read the relevant PDS and any associated reference documents before making an investment decision. In accordance with the Design and Distributions Obligations, we maintain TMDs for our Funds. All documents can be found on the Raiz website www.raizinvest.com.au, or calling the Customer Support team on 1300 754 748. Please note that past performance is not a reliable indicator or guarantee of future performance. Historical returns, forecasts, and market commentary are provided for general informational purposes only. All investment carries risk and may result in loss of capital.
