AgFin Australia

ASX up 0.06%: Oil prices rise as Middle East tensions escalate

The Australian sharemarket exhibited mixed performance, as gains in energy stocks driven by rising oil prices due to escalating Middle East tensions were offset by a 1.3% decline in tech stocks, reflecting disappointing earnings reports from US tech giants, including a significant drop in Tesla’s shares. Additionally, the materials sector faced a 0.5% decline, primarily attributed to a 1.5% drop in BHP’s stock price following news of a Brazilian federal judge’s ruling that the company should pay a substantial fine related to a 2015 tailings dam disaster, totaling 47.6 billion reals ($14.7 billion).

The S&P/ASX 200 is 0.06 per cent higher at 7,560.10.

The SPI futures are pointing to a fall of 14 points.

Best and worst performers

The best-performing sector is Energy, up 1.79 per cent. The worst-performing sector is Information Technology, down 1.62 per cent.

The best-performing large cap is Infratil (ASX:IFT), trading 4.88 per cent higher at $10.11. It is followed by shares in Amcor plc (ASX:AMC) and GQG Partners (ASX:GQG).

The worst-performing large cap is IGO (ASX:IGO), trading 3.41 per cent lower at $7.215. It is followed by shares in WiseTech Global (ASX:WTC) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC).

Commodities and the dollar

Gold is trading at US$2040.50 an ounce.

Iron ore is 0.3 per cent lower at US$136.15 a tonne.

Iron ore futures are pointing to a 1.06 per cent rise.

One Australian dollar is buying 65.76 US cents.