Overview

• The ASX 200 was down 0.35% to 8,940 near midday Tuesday after rallying to a 9,054 intraday record on Monday before closing at 8,972.4.
• Financials led Monday’s fade from the peak as Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, NAB and ANZ all fell, leaving the sector down 1.18%.
• Coles surged 9.3% to an all‑time high of $22.65 after beating full‑year earnings expectations, while Woolworths advanced ahead of its report.
• Fortescue dropped 1.9% after posting its weakest annual profit in six years despite record shipments, reflecting pressure from softer iron ore prices.
• Dovish signals from Jerome Powell at Jackson Hole lifted market odds of a September Fed cut to roughly 84%–87%, but attention has shifted to RBA minutes and the next wave of company results.