Australian shares eased after a mixed session on Wall Street, with losses in healthcare offsetting gains in tech.
The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.2 per cent or 17.7 points to 7846, though was still within striking distance of a record closing high of 7896.4 set on March 28. All Ords also retreated 0.2 per cent.
Diagnostics giant Sonic Healthcare tumbled more than 10 per cent after flagging lower-than-expected profit due to inflation and currency exchange headwinds. Healius dropped 5.2 per cent.
Mining giants rose tracking higher iron ore prices off the back of Beijing's property sector measures to help the ailing industry and a surge in copper prices. BHP gained 0.5 per cent but Rio slumped 0.8 per cent after declaring force majeure on Australian alumina cargoes due to shortages of gas in Queensland.
Gold producers rallied after spot gold hit a record high of $2,449.89 on Monday. Bellevue Gold rose 3.2 per cent and Ramelius Resources advanced 0.7 per cent.
Telecom company Telstra shaved off 1.6 per cent after revealing plans to axe up to 2,800 jobs.
Building products group James Hardie was the biggest laggard, down 11.1 per cent despite posting a jump in full year net income.
Crypto rally
The ethereum price surged nearly 20 per cent this morning to $US3,671 amid social media-fuelled speculation the US securities regulator the SEC may approve an ethereum-based exchange traded fund this week. Bitcoin added 7 per cent to $US71,450 a coin just shy of a record high above $US73,000.
Locally, investors will turn their attention to the minutes of the Reserve Bank's May policy meeting at 11.30am for more details on how serious its consideration of a rate increase after strong first-quarter inflation figures.
"We suspect the decision to keep rates on hold was not a close one, given the tone of the post-meeting statement," said ANZ in a note.
Since then, weaker-than-expected jobs and wages data have led the market to swing back to pricing rate cuts, implying a less than 50 per cent chance of a reduction to 4.1 per cent by Christmas.
Stocks on the move
Lab testing company ALS rallied 4.4 per cent even though net profit tumbled 96 per cent in fiscal 2024 due to write-downs relating to its pharmaceuticals business Nuvisan stake and restructuring costs.
Software group TechOne slipped 0.3 per cent despite a jump in profit after tax and a record interim dividend of 5.08.
Producer Alumina advanced 3.8 per cent as its acquisition offer by US partner Alcoa was amended to allow CITIC, Alumina's second-largest shareholder, to receive a small portion of its Alcoa's convertible shares to comply with US regulation.
Star Entertainment dropped 3.7 per cent after Hard Rock International denied it is linked to any proposal. The struggling casino group said on Monday that it had received an approach from a related company.
SkyCity Casino rallied 2.6 per cent on news it has reached an agreement with New Zealand's government about its non-compliance with Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism.
Mineral Resources fell 1.6 per cent despite delivering its first ore on ship to China ahead of schedule.
Sumber : afr.com
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