30.04.202606:45:30UTC+00ASX 200 Recovers in April Despite Loss Streak

The S&P/ASX 200 slipped 21 points, or 0.2%, to finish at 8,666 on Thursday, the final trading day of April, extending its losing streak to eight sessions and holding at a three-week low. Investor caution persisted ahead of next week’s Reserve Bank of Australia meeting, where markets are pricing in a further 25 bps rate hike following increases in February and March. Policy rates are now expected to reach 4.60% by September, a level last seen in 2011.

The latest data showed inflation accelerating to 4.6% in March from 3.7%, remaining above the RBA’s 2–3% target band. In the United States, the Federal Reserve left rates unchanged on Wednesday, as policymakers balanced elevated inflation risks against an impending change in leadership.

On the corporate front, Woolworths tumbled 7.8%, weighing on the consumer staples sector after the company warned that its fiscal 2026 food earnings would fall short of the top end of previous guidance due to rising fuel costs. Miners dropped 2.7% amid softer base metal prices, with BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue retreating between 2.0% and 2.8%.

Despite the recent pullback, the local market still advanced 2.2% over April, rebounding from a near 8% decline in March, supported by robust bargain hunting.