ASX 200 report:
25 August 2026

The Australia 200 trades 58 points (+0.64%) higher at 9161 at 3.35pm AEST.

ASX 200 advances as investors await CPI report

ASX 200 is on track for its best day in almost three weeks after the resurgent health care and information technology (IT) sectors, with some support from the beaten-up financials, lifted the market 76 points (+0.84%) in early trade to a high of 9179.9. That left ASX 200 just 116 points (1.20%) below its early-August record high of 9296.7.

Tomorrow brings the July CPI update:

June's consumer price index (CPI) data saw headline inflation ease to 3.8% year-on-year (YoY) in the 12 months to June 2026, down from 4.0% in May and below the 4.0% consensus. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)'s preferred measure, the trimmed mean, held steady at 3.6% YoY, also coming in below the 3.8% forecast.

The cooler June print, combined with Governor Bullock's more balanced tone acknowledging weakness in housing and employment, sealed the RBA's decision to hold the cash rate at 4.35% at its Board meeting earlier this month.

Looking ahead to tomorrow's July monthly CPI release, the expectation is for the headline rate to fall sharply to 3.2% YoY (due to a 1.3% rise last July dropping out), with the trimmed mean easing to 3.5%.

An in-line or cooler core reading would reinforce the case for the RBA to stay on hold at its September Board meeting. A hotter-than-expected trimmed mean would likely see markets rebuild the possibility of further tightening this year.

ASX 200 stocks

Financials sector

Morgan Stanley also reported that active fund managers extended their underweight in the banks in July. The sector found some support today after falling 10.5% over the past three weeks into yesterday's low.

• Macquarie Group lifted 1.60% to $251.84
• National Australia Bank added 0.84% to $38.33
• Westpac Banking Corporation gained 0.58% to $33.94
• ANZ Group Holdings climbed 0.53% to $37.05
• Commonwealth Bank of Australia remains in the hurt locker, falling 0.20% to $156.58.

Health care sector

• Ansell surged 9.73% to $41.96, extending yesterday's 9.57% rally after its earnings report
• CSL lifted 2.93% to $174.06
• Cochlear added 1.05% to $137.20.

Materials sector

The high-flying materials sector hit a second consecutive record high this morning before succumbing to profit-taking. Falls for Alcoa Corporation CDI (-3.88% to $69.59), Mineral Resources (-2.59% to $67.28) and Fortescue (-0.84% to $17.78) offset gains for BHP Group (+0.55% to $67.49) and Sandfire Resources (+2.09% to $22.91), both of which touched fresh record highs earlier in the day.

Technology sector

• DroneShield jumped 7.61% to $1.95 ahead of its earnings report tomorrow (previewed here)
• Zip Co lifted 4.76% to $2.64
• WiseTech Global climbed 3.98% to $45.21 ahead of its own results tomorrow morning (also previewed here).

Uranium stocks 

In other notable moves, the rally in uranium names extended again as the spot price hit $89.00, its highest level in almost seven months. This comes as the world's largest producer, Kazatomprom, has been forced to postpone its production ramp-up following an archaeological discovery at a construction site.

• Deep Yellow surged 4.44% to $1.76
• Paladin Energy lifted 2.39% to $11.97
• Silex Systems gained 2.55% to $5.64.

Earnings season update

In today's notable earnings reports, Electro Optic Systems Holdings skyrocketed 23.84% to $10.65 after its half-year results showed revenue of $168.8 million, up 283%, and underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) swinging to a $21.6 million profit from a $14.9 million loss a year earlier. The company also reported an unconditional order book of approximately $846 million and guided to full-year FY26 revenue of $360 million - $400 million, including the MARSS acquisition.

Going the other way, Nanosonics dived 16.17% to $3.08 after its full-year results showed revenue of $203.9 million, up just 3%, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of $16.0 million, down 10% on a reported basis (though up 21% in constant currency). The revenue figure landed well below the earlier $215 million - $223 million guidance range. The company completed its $20 million share buyback and announced a further $40 million program.

ASX 200 technical analysis

ASX 200 spent the better part of 17 weeks confined within an 8500 - 9000 range before releasing that pent-up energy at the start of August and hitting a fresh record high of 9296.7. From that high, we were expecting a pullback towards 9000 and that view has played out well, with the index last week hitting a low of 9019.50.

Looking ahead, provided ASX 200 holds above the 9000 - 8900 support region (former top-of-range resistance, now support), we expect to see a retest and break of the 9296.7 record high in the weeks ahead.

ASX 200 daily candlestick chart

• _{Source: TradingView. The figures stated are as of 25 August 2026. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. This report does not contain and is not to be taken as containing any financial product advice or financial product recommendation.}