ASX 200 report:
14 April 2026

The Australia 200 trades 59 points (0.67%) higher at 8985 as of 3.15pm AEST.

ASX 200 lifts as materials offset weak confidence data

The ASX 200 was fast out of the gates this morning, surging 95 points (1.06%) to an intraday high of 9021.5 shortly after the opening bell. This marked its first visit back above the psychological 9000 level since early March.

The early push followed a solid lead from Wall Street overnight, where investors focused on fresh signs that Middle East peace negotiations could resume. That optimism helped propel the  Nasdaq Composite to its ninth consecutive gain, its longest winning streak since December 2023. 

While offshore developments provided the backdrop for a strong start, domestic headlines quickly conspired to limit the advance. Speaking in New York shortly before the opening of the local bourse, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser warned of a ‘nightmare’ scenario where inflation re‑accelerates even as growth weakens, a dynamic that would significantly complicate policy choices.

That cautionary tone was reinforced a few hours later when the Westpac–Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment index for April plunged 12.5% to 80.1, its biggest month‑on‑month (MoM) fall since the Covid-19 pandemic. The sharp drop was heavily driven by heightened concerns over the Middle East conflict, rising fuel costs, lingering fears of higher interest rates, and potential job losses.

The bleak domestic picture was rounded out when the National Australia Bank (NAB) business confidence index slumped to -29 in March, down from a revised zero the previous month. This marks the second‑largest fall on record and the weakest reading since the Covid-19 era, with cost and price expectations rising sharply across the board.

ASX 200 stocks

Information technology sector

Local technology stocks took the opportunity to build on recent signs of basing.

• Appen lifted 5.74% to $1.43
• WiseTech Global added 4.95% to $39.01
• Block rose 4.85% to $90.94.

Materials sector

Largely immune to the domestic backdrop, the materials sector marched higher and is on track to record a fourth consecutive week of gains.

• BHP Group rose 3.47% to $56.23 after Chinese steel mills were given the green light by authorities to resume buying BHP cargoes from Tuesday, signalling a welcome easing in trade tensions.
• Rio Tinto lifted 1.66% to $174.9
• Fortescue gained 1.73% to $20.63.

Lithium stocks

A strong overnight session for United States (US)‑based lithium miner Albemarle, which rose nearly 6.8% following a broker upgrade and a 2.81% lift in US lithium futures, provided a positive lead for ASX‑listed lithium names today.

• Galan Lithium advanced 8.43% to $0.45
• Iluka Resources added 2.96% to $7.65
• Liontown Resources rose 2.40% to $1.92.

Uranium stocks

Uranium miners extended their rebound from late‑March lows as investors focused on massive long‑term power demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centres and a rebound in technology stocks on Wall Street.

• Bannerman jumped 9% to $4.06
• Deep Yellow lifted 8.47% to $1.92
• Paladin Energy rose 6.80% to $13.26
• Silex Systems added 4.52% to $5.78.

Energy sector

Conversely, the sharp retreat in WTI crude oil from yesterday’s $105.63 high to current levels near $96.79 weighed on energy stocks.

• Woodside Energy declined 1.08% to $33.78
• Santos lost 1.06% to $7.94
• AGL Energy fell 0.66% to $9.75.

Industrials sector

• Qantas fell 0.89% to $8.93 after the airline released a cautious financial year (FY) 2026 market update. Management highlighted increased uncertainty and potential fuel cost headwinds stemming from ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. With its fuel bill projected to reach up to $3.3 billion, more than $800 million above its previous estimate, the carrier noted it would look to offset the impact by increasing fares, adjusting capacity and making strategic changes to its international flight network.

Consumer-discretionary sector

• The a2 Milk Company extended yesterday’s brutal 13% sell‑off, dropping a further 2.80% to $7.82 as the aftershocks of its disappointing FY 2026 outlook downgrade continued to rattle investors.

ASX 200 technical analysis

From its all‑time high of 9202.9 in late February, the ASX 200 fell 940 points (10.2%) to the 8262 low on 23 March, where clear signs of capitulation appeared in the daily candle.

Last week’s robust 4.44% rally has reinforced confidence that the 8262 low marks the end of the correction and that the broader uptrend has resumed.

The index is now eyeing a retest and decisive break of the 9202.9 record high, which would open the way for a push towards 9400 - 9500.

ASX 200 daily candlestick chart

• _{Source: TradingView. The figures stated are as of 14 April 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.}