31.03.202602:04:25UTC+00Australia Stocks Rebound But Head for Weakest Month Since 2022

Australian shares climbed 73 points, or 0.9%, to 8,534 in afternoon trade on Tuesday, breaking a three-session losing streak as U.S. futures advanced following a mostly weaker close on Wall Street in a holiday-shortened week. Sentiment improved after domestic data showed resilient private credit growth in February, broadly in line with forecasts. Leading gainers included Xero (up 5.1%), Northern Star Resources (3.0%), REA Group (2.5%), and CSL (2.0%).

Despite the rebound, the market is still on course for its first weekly loss in four, down about 7% so far, and remains set for its weakest month since January 2022 amid renewed inflation concerns linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, minutes from the Reserve Bank’s March meeting indicated that members agreed further policy tightening was likely to be required, although the timing was uncertain. Policymakers also cautioned that if oil prices stay near USD 100 per barrel, headline inflation could rise to around 5% in Q2 2026.