ASX 200 -0.36% to 8,670.7 as miners offset a tech, bank and healthcare slide; CSL slips below A$100
ASX 200 close: 8,670.7 (-0.36%) Sentiment: mixed
The S&P/ASX 200 closed at 8,670.7 on 12 May 2026, down 31 points or 0.36% — a second straight decline. Life360 (360.AU) was the heaviest large-cap faller at -10.89% to A$17.92 after trimming its FY26 user-growth guidance, while CSL.AU dropped a further 2.18% to A$98.55, compounding Monday's record 15.96% fall. Brent crude jumped 2.51% to US$106.83 after President Trump called the Iran ceasefire "unbelievably weak"; the local session also closed ahead of tonight's 7:30pm AEST federal budget.
Session highlights
The S&P/ASX 200 fell for a second straight session on 12 May 2026, closing at 8,670.7 (-0.36%), as resources outran a decline in tech, banks and health care.
- BHP.AU +2.49% to A$59.78, RIO.AU +3.13% to A$185.42 and FMG.AU +2.29% to A$21.91 led the materials gain — the only large-cap group to close higher.
- NEM.AU +4.37% to A$165.79, NST.AU +3.23% to A$21.42 and EVN.AU +2.78% to A$13.32 rallied even as US$ gold slipped 0.42% to US$4,708.90 — gold producers gained on the resources bid and AUD/USD -0.43% to 0.7223.
- WTC.AU -5.87% to A$39.80, XRO.AU -3.52% to A$80.13 and SDR.AU -6.03% to A$2.96 led an information-technology selloff that tracked the global SaaS derate.
- CSL.AU -2.18% to A$98.55 — below A$100 and a second session lower after Monday's record 15.96% drop — kept health care the heaviest drag, with PNV.AU -7.35% to A$0.945 and PME.AU -2.83% to A$125.93 alongside.
- MQG.AU -2.15% to A$234.20 and every big-four bank closed in the red (CBA.AU -1.40% to A$171.57, NAB.AU -2.09% to A$37.42, ANZ.AU -2.12% to A$35.14, WBC.AU -1.37% to A$36.61).
Sector scorecard
Materials was the only large-cap group to close higher on 12 May 2026 — every miner tracked here finished up 2-4%.
- Strongest: Materials — six large-cap miners up 2-4% (BHP.AU +2.49%, RIO.AU +3.13%, FMG.AU +2.29%, NEM.AU +4.37%, NST.AU +3.23%, EVN.AU +2.78%)
- Weakest: Health Care and Information Technology — CSL.AU -2.18% to A$98.55, PNV.AU -7.35%, PME.AU -2.83%, WTC.AU -5.87%, XRO.AU -3.52%, SDR.AU -6.03%
- Large-cap spread: NEM.AU +4.37% at the top to WTC.AU -5.87% at the bottom — roughly a 10-point range
- Health care had the widest one-way tilt: all three large-cap names tracked here (CSL.AU, PNV.AU, PME.AU) closed lower; financials were nearly as uniform, with all big-four banks down 1.4-2.1%
Top movers
| Ticker | Move | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| LRV.AU | +10.71% | Antimony/gold developer; rode the critical-minerals bid |
| GDG.AU | +9.39% | Unannounced — likely flow-driven |
| ING.AU | +7.42% | Unannounced — likely flow-driven |
| SRL.AU | +7.13% | Nickel/scandium developer; tracked the critical-minerals bid |
| EMR.AU | +6.23% | Gold miner; followed the ASX gold names higher |
| 360.AU | -10.89% | Q1 revenue +38% to US$143m but FY26 MAU guidance cut on an Android bug |
| DRO.AU | -9.92% | ASIC notice re: Nov 2025 announcements and share trading; intraday low near A$2.95 |
| PNV.AU | -7.35% | Unannounced — likely flow-driven |
| EUR.AU | -6.52% | Slid with the lithium complex |
| SDR.AU | -6.03% | Sold with the SaaS/tech derate |
Notable announcements
Life360 (360.AU) cut its FY26 monthly-active-user guidance on 12 May 2026, citing an Android technical issue, even as first-quarter revenue rose 38% to US$143m.
- Life360 (360.AU): Q1 revenue US$143m (+38% YoY), MAU ~97.8m (+17% YoY); FY26 revenue and EBITDA guidance lifted, MAU guidance cut on an Android issue — shares -10.89% to A$17.92.
- DroneShield (DRO.AU): received an ASIC notice seeking assistance with an investigation into company announcements made 1-20 November 2025 and share trading between 6 and 12 November 2025 — shares -9.92% to A$3.18 (intraday low near A$2.95).
- CSL (CSL.AU): -2.18% to A$98.55, a second session lower after Monday's record 15.96% fall on the FY26 NPAT downgrade to about US$3.1bn and roughly US$5bn of flagged impairments.
At the AU close (16:15 AEST)
At the 16:15 AEST close on 12 May 2026, Brent crude was up 2.51% at US$106.83 and the Nikkei 225 had closed +0.52% at 62,742.57.
| Asset | Level | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 (cash) | 7,412.84 | +0.19% | Prior US close (Mon 11 May); cash reopens 23:30 AEST |
| Nikkei 225 | 62,742.57 | +0.52% | Closed; Topix +0.83% |
| Hang Seng | 26,495.88 | +0.34% | Mid-afternoon session at the AU close |
| KOSPI | 7,643.15 | -2.29% | Pared deeper intraday losses into the close |
| Brent crude | US$106.83 | +2.51% | Trump: Iran ceasefire "unbelievably weak" |
| WTI crude | US$101.04 | +3.03% | Strait of Hormuz flows still restricted |
| Gold | US$4,708.90 | -0.42% | Reversed from a US$4,783 intraday high |
| AUD/USD | 0.7223 | -0.43% | Day low 0.7211 |
Next 24h catalysts (AEST)
Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivers the 2026-27 federal budget at 7:30pm AEST on 12 May 2026.
- Tue 19:30 — Federal Budget 2026-27 speech (Treasurer Chalmers); pre-budget reporting trails changes to CGT, negative gearing and family trusts, an A$2bn housing infrastructure package and a A$1,000 standard work-related deduction
- Wed 10:00 — ASX open; first local session to price the budget measures
- Wed/Thu — US April CPI, the inflation print global desks flagged in this week's ASX previews; the Strait of Hormuz situation keeps Brent (US$106.83) sensitive to headlines
Context only — not financial advice. Track your own trades with Swingfolio.