S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
Australian shares eased 27 points, or 0.3%, to 8,950 on the first trading day of August, reversing the prior session’s gain as investors turned cautious ahead of key domestic releases this week, including June household spending, trade data, and July job ads. Focus also extends to top trading partner China, where PMI readings from a private survey and trade figures are due this week. Firmer U.S. equity futures tempered losses after President Trump signaled restraint on further Iran strikes, raising hopes for progress in the five-month conflict. Locally, factory activity in July was revised upward amid easing inflation, while June private credit posted its strongest rise in six months. Energy minerals, consumer services, and healthcare weighed, though utilities and consumer non-durables offered support. Three of the four major banks slipped, while energy names Woodside (-1.5%) and Santos (-1.4%) retreated. In contrast, Wisetech (1.3%), Evolution Mining (1.2%), and QBE (0.7%) advanced.
