FX.co ★ ASX 200 Ends 0.3% Higher After RBA Move

The ASX 200 rose 30 points, or 0.3%, to close at 8,887 on Tuesday, rebounding from the previous session’s losses. Strength in retail, technology, and consumer services outweighed weakness in energy minerals, consumer durables, and healthcare.

Market sentiment improved after the Reserve Bank of Australia delivered a widely expected 25 bp interest rate hike, reducing near‑term policy uncertainty. Governor Bullock said the increase was necessary to address persistent domestic capacity constraints, noting that inflation is not projected to return to the 2%–3% target band until late 2027.

Upside was limited, however, by softer U.S. stock futures, as investors remained cautious ahead of U.S. midterm elections, key labor market data, corporate earnings releases, and developments in the Middle East.

Among notable movers, REA Group gained 3.8%, Scentre Group 3.7%, JB Hi-Fi 3.1%, and Sigma Healthcare 2.6%. Qantas jumped 6.4% on expectations of lower fuel costs. By contrast, BHP Group slipped 0.6%, while Woodside Energy and Santos declined 3.5% and 1.8%, respectively.