ASX 200 Falls 0.43% to 8,665, Its Lowest Close Since June, as Tech, Lithium and Wealth Platforms Drop
ASX 200 close: 8,665.0 (-0.43%) Breadth: 51 advancers / 183 decliners (248-name ASX sweep) Sentiment: bearish
The S&P/ASX 200 closed at 8,665.0 on 25 September 2026, down 37.0 points or 0.43% and at its lowest close since 12 June, as technology, lithium and wealth-platform stocks fell after the Trump-Xi summit extended the US-China trade truce by two months rather than the six some had expected. NWL.AU fell 8.15% to $17.02 after a class action over First Guardian investment options named two of its subsidiaries. The US 10-year Treasury yield held at 5.16% and Brent held above US$100 a barrel, while the Hang Seng fell 1.22% and the Shanghai Composite 1.22% on the truce terms.
What moved the index
The ASX 200 lost 43 basis points on 25 September 2026, with nine of 11 sectors lower and the big four banks the only large offset.
- Materials: the sector fell 0.84%, worth about 18 bps of the 43 bps move. Chinese lithium carbonate futures fell 4.8% to 124,420 yuan a tonne, 40% below May's high, and took PLS.AU down 2.54%, MIN.AU 3.27% and LTR.AU 3.59%. FMG.AU fell 2.27%, RIO.AU 0.97% and BHP.AU 0.49% as copper eased 0.85%.
- Technology, discretionary and online classifieds: Information Technology fell 1.66%, Consumer Discretionary 1.37% and Communication Services 0.79%, together worth about 18 bps. XRO.AU fell 2.81%, WTC.AU 2.25%, REA.AU 2.91%, CAR.AU 3.73% and APE.AU 4.74%. Market Index noted Tech, Real Estate and Discretionary are down 15% to 18% in four weeks.
- Health Care and Industrials: Health Care fell 0.80% and Industrials 0.87%, worth about 12 bps. CSL.AU fell 1.21%.
- Banks and staples (offset): Financials rose 0.27% and Consumer Staples 0.73%, worth about +12 bps. ANZ.AU rose 1.10%, WBC.AU 1.05%, NAB.AU 1.02% and CBA.AU 0.57%; COL.AU added 1.27%.
Together, these drivers account for about 36 bps of the 43 bps fall. Utilities (-1.25%), A-REITs (-0.33%) and Energy (-0.30%) cover most of the residual, and 183 of the 248 swept names fell, so losses spread well beyond the index heavyweights.
Session highlights
- 8,665.0 was the ASX 200's lowest close since 12 June. Market Index puts the index 6.5% below its 6 August level and 0.6% lower year to date.
- NWL.AU -8.15%, HUB.AU -4.33% and PPS.AU -3.57% fell after Netwealth told the ASX before the open that it would defend the First Guardian class action. NWL.AU is 34% lower year to date, according to Market Index.
- MQG.AU -1.25% held Financials to a 0.27% gain even as all four major banks rose between 0.57% and 1.10%.
- 4.8% was the fall in Chinese lithium carbonate futures. VUL.AU lost 5.56%, and outside the sweep GLN.AU fell 17.11% with no company announcement.
- 66,364.2 was the Nikkei close, up 1.30%, the one large gain in Asia; the KOSPI rose 0.90% while the Hang Seng and Shanghai fell.
Sector scorecard
- Best: Consumer Staples (+0.73%)
- Worst: Information Technology (-1.66%)
- Dispersion (best minus worst): 2.39 pts
- Financials had the widest internal spread: the four major banks rose 0.57% to 1.10%, while NWL.AU (-8.15%), QAL.AU (-7.98%), HUB.AU (-4.33%) and MQG.AU (-1.25%) fell.
Top movers
| Ticker | Move | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| CHI.AU | +10.27% | Unannounced, likely flow-driven. |
| EUR.AU | +9.09% | No news today; scheme booklet dispatched on 22 September. |
| EOS.AU | +5.99% | No news today; up about 22% since 16 September. |
| HLS.AU | +5.56% | Agreed to sell Agilex Biolabs to Novotech for $160m. |
| AMI.AU | +3.96% | Unannounced, likely flow-driven. |
| EQR.AU | -10.00% | Unannounced, likely flow-driven. |
| NWL.AU | -8.15% | First Guardian class action names two subsidiaries. |
| ELS.AU | -8.14% | Unannounced, likely flow-driven. |
| QAL.AU | -7.98% | Unannounced, likely flow-driven. |
| VUL.AU | -5.56% | Lithium carbonate futures fell 4.8% in China. |
Notable announcements
- HLS.AU: agreed to sell Agilex Biolabs to Novotech for $160m, about 19.8 times FY26 EBITDA, leaving Healius in net cash. The stock opened 16.6% higher and closed up 5.56% at $0.38.
- NWL.AU: said it will defend the class action served on two subsidiaries over First Guardian investment options.
- MEK.AU: raised $40m in an upsized institutional placement at 10 cents a share, a 25.9% discount; the stock closed down 25.93%.
- TUA.AU: closed 0.56% lower at $1.78 after rising 5.8% early, following Wednesday's 23% fall on regulatory concerns.
At the AU close (16:15 AEST)
| Asset | Level | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 futures | 7,777.75 | +0.14% | December contract, AU afternoon |
| Nasdaq 100 futures | 30,883.50 | +0.38% | December contract |
| S&P 500 (cash) | 7,704.13 | -0.02% | Thursday US close |
| STOXX 600 | 640.41 | +0.63% | Early European session |
| Nikkei 225 | 66,364.20 | +1.30% | Closed |
| Hang Seng | 24,459.16 | -1.22% | Trump-Xi truce extended two months |
| Brent (Nov) | US$106.17 | -0.40% | Expiring front-month contract |
| Gold | US$4,309.60/oz | +0.27% | December contract |
| AUD/USD | 0.7023 | +0.12% | US dollar index -0.09% |
Next 24h catalysts (AEST)
- Mon 28 Sep 10:00: ASX open; SPI futures track Friday's US session.
- Tue 29 Sep 11:30: ABS Monthly Household Spending Indicator for August.
- Tue 29 Sep 14:30: RBA Board decision for September.
- Wed 30 Sep 22:30: US PCE inflation and personal income for August, plus the third estimate of Q2 GDP.
Context only. Not financial advice. Track your own trades with Swingfolio.