2025.12.2200:45:56UTC+00Australian Shares Kick Off the Week Higher

The S&P/ASX 200 index climbed 0.7% to 8,682 on Monday, bouncing back from the previous week’s losses as robust performances in the materials and energy sectors propelled the market upward. Leading the charge were major mining companies, with BHP Group advancing by 1.5%, Rio Tinto increasing by 1.2%, and Fortescue Metals Group seeing a gain of 1.9%. Gold stocks also played a significant role, with Newmont Corporation surging nearly 4%, Northern Star Resources climbing 3.2%, and Evolution Mining growing by 2.3%. Energy stocks contributed further to the overall market gains, with Santos advancing 0.8% and Woodside Energy edging up by 0.3%. This market rally was underpinned by a rise in commodity prices, fueled by mounting expectations of interest rate cuts in the US and heightened geopolitical tensions, which collectively spurred demand for assets linked to natural resources. Meanwhile, investors are turning their attention to the minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s meeting, set for release tomorrow, hoping for insights into the central bank’s policy stance and its evaluation of inflationary trends.