FX.co ★ Australian Shares Erase Earlier Gains

On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 index modestly declined by 0.1%, closing at 8,981, reversing earlier gains and pulling back from a peak not seen in over a month. This movement comes as investors analyzed the latest Monthly Inflation Gauge from the Melbourne Institute, which recorded a 0.4% increase month-over-month for September 2025, recovering from a 0.3% drop in the previous month. This data implies that third-quarter inflation may exceed expectations, notwithstanding the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) ongoing endeavors to maintain inflation within its targeted range of 2–3%. Upcoming addresses by RBA officials this week are anticipated to shed more light on the central bank's policy direction in response to the recent inflation figures. In the financial sector, performance was suboptimal, with ANZ Group Holdings decreasing by 0.5% and Commonwealth Bank of Australia slipping by 0.3%. Other significant declines included Pro Medicus (-3.1%), WiseTech Global (-2.2%), Rio Tinto (-1.2%), and CSL Limited (-1%).