1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 11:11pmMarket snapshotASX 200: +0.1% to 8,619 pointsÂ
Australian dollar: +0.5% to 71.05 US centsWall Street: Dow Jones (+0.1%), S&P 500 (+0.3%), Nasdaq (+0.5%)Europe: Stoxx 600 (+0.7%), DAX (+0.7%), FTSE (+0.8%)Spot gold: -0.1% to $US4,999/ounce
Oil (Brent crude): +3.2% to $US103.42/barrelIron ore: flat at $US107.10/tonneBitcoin: -0.3% at $US74,357
ASX 200: +0.1% to 8,619 points Price current around 10:10am AEDT
Live updates on the major ASX indices:
10m agoWed 18 Mar 2026 at 12:38am
BHP holds press conference in Melbourne to introduce new CEO
BHP is holding a press conference in Melbourne to introduce its new chief executive Brandon Craig.
Our reporter Daniel Ziffer is on the scene, and he took this photo just before the conference began.
If you need help putting a face to the name, here’s a shot of Mr Craig (left) shaking hands with BHP’s chairman Ross McEwan.
Incoming CEO Brandon Craig and BHP chairman Ross McEwan. (Daniel Ziffer)20m agoWed 18 Mar 2026 at 12:28amAussie dollar jumps to 71 US cents, rebounds from post-RBA decision fall
The Australian dollar is holding up quite well today.
Yesterday afternoon, it fell as low as 70.5 US cents after the Reserve Bank decided to lift interest rates, as widely expected.
But the local currency has since clawed back all those losses, and more, to trade at 71.1 US cents.
The Aussie dollar is also trading near its highest level in several years against the Japanese yen and New Zealand dollar.
It’s been a while since we last saw exchange rates around the 113 yen and $NZ1.21 mark.
The Australian dollar is higher against major currencies. (LSEG)41m agoWed 18 Mar 2026 at 12:06amBanks and gold miners among the worst performing ASX stocks
Today’s best performing stocks are from a broad range of sectors.
Shares of metals recycling company Sims jumped by around 9% after it gave an upbeat trading update.
Sims is expecting its pre-tax earnings to be in the range of $350 million to $400 million in the 2026 financial year, which is at least double what it earned in the previous year.
Coal miner New Hope, Web Travel Group, Premier Investments and Life360 are also seeing sharp increases to their share price.
Shares of ANZ and several gold miners have fallen sharply. (LSEG)
On the flip side, today’s worst performers are gold stocks like Ramelius Resources, Perseus Mining, Genesis Minerals and Vault Minerals after the precious metal’s spot price briefly fell below $US5,000 an ounce this morning.
Shares of ANZ are down 2%, following yesterday’s decision by the Reserve Bank to lift interest rates.
The other major banks are also down, including Commonwealth Bank (-0.5%), Westpac (-0.7%) and NAB (-0.6%).
These banks are some of the biggest companies on the ASX so even a small rise or fall would have an outsized impact on the broader share market.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 11:45pmAMP passes on the Reserve Bank’s full interest rate hike to borrowers
AMP has confirmed interest rates on all its variable loans will increase by 0.25 percentage points from March 23.
In other words, it’s passing on the Reserve Bank’s latest rate hike in full.
The major banks didn’t waste any time yesterday.
Within hours of the RBA’s decision yesterday Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, NAB and Macquarie announced their variable rate mortgages will go up by 0.25 percentage points.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 11:26pmSurge in oil prices boosting shares in the Australian energy sector
Despite a serious lack of energy in the Australian share market’s performance so far, most sectors of the ASX 200 are actually trading higher.
Energy is the best performing sector by far, following a sharp rise in oil prices overnight.
On the flip side the financials and consumer discretionary sectors are down.
A fall in the share price of Australia’s major banks are weighing most heavily on the broader market.
Higher oil prices are boosting the ASX energy sector. (LSEG)1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 11:14pmAustralian share market begins its day relatively flat
It’s been a fairly lacklustre start to the trading day, I must say.
The ASX 200 was up 0.1% to 8,621 points in the first 15 minutes of the session.
The broader All Ordinaries index went up by a similar percentage to 8,828 points.
I’ll have more updates for you in a bit!
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 11:02pmBHP’s new chief executive Brandon Craig will earn far less than his predecessor
BHP has confirmed its new chief executive Brandon Craig will be paid a base annual salary of $2.67 million ($US1.9 million).
He’ll also be eligible for massive bonuses, depending on performance.
Under the mining giant’s cash and deferred plan (CDP) he could earn a maximum of 360% of his base salary in the form of cash and shares — subject to two-year deferred rights and five-year deferred rights.
Mr Craig could also earn more from his long-term incentive plan (LTIP) at 200% of his salary each year.
In comparison, his predecessor Mike Henry’s “realised pay” was $19 million, making him the sixth-highest paid CEO of an Australian-listed company last year.
Mr Henry has been in the top job since January 2020 and will step down as CEO by July 1.
2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 10:47pmFrom plastics to explosives, the oil surge is set to spike prices well beyond the fuel pump
As the war in the Middle East rages on the hike in oil prices is having an impact far beyond the petrol bowser.
Oil-based products are everywhere and businesses are starting to feel the impact.
From petrochemicals, synthetic clothes, axle grease, and pharmaceuticals to road base — all are susceptible.
Nicolas Perpitch takes a look at what’s going to become a lot more expensive and which industries will be the hardest hit:
2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 10:25pmWoodside Energy names Liz Westcott as its new CEO
It seems to be the morning for “new CEO” announcements!
Woodside Energy has named Liz Westcott as its new chief executive and managing director.
Ms Westcott was already the acting CEO after her predecessor Meg O’Neill left in December to become the CEO of an even larger oil company, BP.
She joined Woodside in June 2023, leading the company’s operations in Australia, including the Scarborough Energy Project and Bass Strait oil and gas development.
Before that she was the chief operating officer at EnergyAustralia and worked for 25 years in ExxonMobile across its Australia, UK and Italy businesses.
Ms Westcott’s “fixed annual reward” (FAR) will be $2.3 million, which includes base salary, benefits and allowances, and directors fees.
She is also eligible for massive bonuses depending on her performance. This includes a short term incentive, valued at up to 270% of her FAR, and a long term opportunity valued at up to 300% of her FAR.
Earlier today BHP named Brandon Craig as its new CEO, taking over from Mike Henry.
2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 10:07pm
Markets recap: Alan Kohler’s finance report
In case you need a refresher before the ASX opens for trade I can certainly recommend Alan Kohler’s finance report.
Alan considered whether we’re “miserable enough yet”, in reference to the latest consumer sentiment figures showing the Australian public is feeling deeply pessimistic at the moment.
That’s understandable given the RBA has lifted the cash rate twice in two months and petrol prices will remain incredibly expensive until there’s serious de-escalation in the Middle East war:
Loading…2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 9:58pmIran attacks UAE’s Fujairah port, contributing to oil price spike
Iran’s renewed attacks on the United Arab Emirates have heightened concerns about the worsening outlook for global supply if there is no quick resolution to the US-Israeli war with Iran, now in its third week.
“The risks remain stark: It only takes one Iranian militia to fire a missile or plant a mine on a passing tanker to reignite the entire situation,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note to clients.
Iran’s attack on the UAE overnight ignited a fire at the Fujairah export terminal, which led to oil loading being partly halted.
Fujairah, located on the Gulf of Oman just outside the Strait of Hormuz, is a critical exit point for oil volumes equivalent to roughly 1% of global demand.
The effective closure of the strait has forced the UAE to reduce its output by more than half, according to Reuters, citing two anonymous sources.
Middle East crude prices have soared to record highs recently, becoming the world’s most expensive oil, with traders blaming the price spike on reduced supply available for delivery.
– with Reuters
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 9:40pm
‘This is not our war’: US allies refuse Trump’s calls for aid in the Persian Gulf as oil prices spike
Oil prices have surged again after yet another day of negative Middle East headlines.
Brent crude futures jumped 3.3% to $US103.45 per barrel on growing doubts that Donald Trump can organise a meaningful coalition to protect tankers in the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow and vital waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows.
Given the US president’s disdain towards America’s traditional allies, past threats to annex Greenland, imposition of global tariffs and his decision to start a war with Iran without consulting Congress or allied nations, it’s easy to understand why no-one is thrilled about rushing to his aid.
Mr Trump accused Western leaders of ingratitude after decades of support as they rebuffed his calls to send warships to the Persian Gulf.
Germany’s defence minister Boris Pistorius responded by saying “this is not our war, we have not started it”.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France would never take part in operations to unblock the strait, and would only participate in a coalition that could provide freedom of navigation once hostilities have ended.
– with Reuters
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 9:35pmBHP appoints Brandon Craig as its new CEO
The world’s largest mining company BHP has named Brandon Craig as its new chief executive.
Mr Craig will assume the top leadership role on July 1.
He’s currently the president of the company’s Americas division, where he manages the commodities business in the United States, Canada and South America.
Before that, he was head of BHP’s Western Australia iron ore business.
He is replacing Mike Henry, who has been in BHP’s top leadership role for the past six-and-a-half years.
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 9:19pmARN Media terminates Kyle Sandilands’s contract, legal battle looms
In a statement to the ASX this morning, ARN Media says it’s terminated its contract with Kyle Sandilands and his company Quasar Media.
“As a result, the Kyle and Jackie OÂ show will no longer be presented,” the media company behind KIIS FM said.
It followed Mr Sandilands’s suspension after ARN said it considered his behaviour during a February 20 broadcast to constitute serious misconduct and a breach of his contract.
A legal battle could ensue, with Mr Sandilands saying he does not accept the termination.
“My lawyers told them last week this would be invalid. And guess what? It is,” the radio host said in a statement.
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 9:02pmIs the Reserve Bank fighting last year’s war by lifting rates again?
There’s a saying that generals always prepare for the last war, and so it may be for central bankers.
Seemingly burnt by their dismissal of the post-COVID, post-Ukraine war inflation breakout as “transitory”, central bankers are already reacting to the spike in prices caused by supply disruptions triggered by the Iran war.
Australia’s Reserve Bank is the first of eight major advanced economy central banks meeting this week, and it wasted no time hiking its cash rate for the second month in a row to 4.1%.
While it’s the only one expected to hike rates this week, previous hopes of rate cuts have been priced out for some of the others.
It’s not surprising that we’re leading the way globally on rate hikes, given that inflation here is now substantially higher than in all those other countries.
For more, here’s the latest analysis by our business editor Michael Janda:
4h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 8:42pm
Market snapshotASX futures: +0.1% to 8,665 pointsASX 200 (Tuesday close): +0.4% to 8,614 points Australian dollar: +0.5% to 71 US centsWall Street: Dow Jones (+0.1%), S&P 500 (+0.3%), Nasdaq (+0.5%)Europe: Stoxx 600 (+0.7%), DAX (+0.7%), FTSE (+0.8%)Spot gold: -0.1% to $US5,001/ounce
Oil (Brent crude): +3.3% to $US103.47/barrelIron ore: flat at $US107.10/tonneBitcoin: +0.4% at $US74,515
Price current around 7:35am AEDT
4h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 8:41pmWall Street closes modestly higher, ASX likely to start its day slightly higher
The Australian share market, on the other hand, is likely to have a very quiet start to the day.
ASX futures are pointing to 0.1% gain when trading on the local bourse begins in a few hours.
It follows a relatively modest session on Wall Street as another surge in oil prices tempered people’s enthusiasm.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1% to 46,993 points, the S&P 500 lifted 0.3% to 6,716 points and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.5% to 22,480 points.
4h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 8:38pmAustralian dollar rebounds, Reserve Bank unlikely to lift interest rates in May
Good morning, and welcome to the ABC’s finance blog. I’ll be guiding you through the latest market action for the next few hours.
The Australian dollar has rebounded above 71 US cents, clawing back most of the losses it recorded after yesterday’s widely-expected decision by the Reserve Bank to lift interest rates.
One reason why the Aussie dollar may have fallen yesterday was because the rate increase was only passed by the slimmest of majorities on the RBA board, with 5 votes against 4 in favour of an increase.
As a result, the market odds of a follow-up rate hike in May dropped from 100% to just 41%, according to LSEG data.
Indeed, RBA governor Michele Bullock confirmed in her post-meeting press conference that the entire board agreed borrowing costs should go up.
However, the point of difference is when they should be raised — and whether the bank should wait longer to observe the local impacts of the Middle East war and look at some more economic data (eg. on inflation, unemployment, etc).
Anyway, go grab a coffee or tea, and I’ll have more updates for you shortly!