The Australian sharemarket opened the week stronger on Monday as apprehensive investors hope that signs of an impending budget deal in Washington will end a lengthy government shutdown.
The S&P/ASX rose 0.3 per cent, or by 28 points to 8797.70 at 10.12am AEDT, with eight of the 11 sectors higher. Gains follow a strong end to the week on Wall Street and amid reports that several Senate Democrats will vote to reopen the government if they secure some concessions from the Trump Administration.
Gains were led by energy and materials where Woodside rose 0.9 per cent and Sants by 0.3 per cent as hopes of an end to the shutdown lift oil prices. Gold miners buoyed materials as the price of the precious metal surpassed $US4000 an ounce again. Evolution Mining gained 2 per cent, Perseus Mining by 1.8 per cent and Northern Star added 1.2 per cent.
Financials were mixed as ANZ gained 0.1 after reporting a 14 per cent drop in cash profit for 2025 and revenue below expectations, citing intense competition in retail banking. The lender also docked former CEO Shayne Elliott’s pay following a record $243 million ASIC fine.
Macquarie Group rebounded from a 5.7 per cent tumble on Friday after missing analyst forecasts with its half year update to be up 1.4 per cent, while Commonwealth Bank and National Australia Bank were down by 0.3 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively.
Stocks in focus
In company news, Iress soared 6.7 per cent as it launched a business efficiency program aimed at permanently lifting margins from 19 per cent to 25 per cent, and confirmed its tightened FY25 guidance.
Dyno Nobel leapt 5.3 per cent as it posted a $53 million statutory net loss for FY25, narrowing from a $311 million loss a year earlier, as the company advanced its transition into a pure-play global explosives business.
Engineering contractor Monadelphous Group climbed 10 per cent as it told investors that it expected half-year revenue of about $1.5 billion, driven by strong demand across construction, energy, and infrastructure projects.
AUB Group rose 1.8 per cent as it granted private equity giant EQT a two-week extension to its exclusivity period and cleared it to form a consortium with CVC Asia Pacific as the pair pursue a $45-a-share takeover of the insurance broker.
AGL Energy agreed to divest 19.9 per cent of its 20 per cent equity in Tilt Renewables (Tilt) to existing shareholders and other entities led by the Queensland Investment Corporation and the Future Fund for $750 million. Shares rose 2.5 per cent.
Market darling DroneShield rocketed 7.4 per cent as it secured $7.6 million in new contracts to supply handheld counter-drone systems to the US government, with delivery and payment expected between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.
Adairs fell 0.5 per cent as it told investors that chief financial officer Ashley Gardner will leave the company to pursue a new opportunity.
MA Financial advanced 1.3 per cent after it entered exclusive due diligence to acquire the Logan Hyperdome Shopping Centre in Loganholme, south-east Queensland.
