Daily Market Update: 25 August 2025

The Australian share market ended the week on a low on Friday, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) losing 51.7 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 8,967.4, while the broader All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) receded 49.9 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 9,234.3.

For the week, however, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) added 0.3 per cent, locking-in three straight weeks of gains, while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) appreciated by 0.2 per cent.

Seven of 11 local sectors finished Friday lower, led by slumps in consumer staples, health care and real estate stocks. Consumer staples was the weakest sector, dragged lower by poultry producer Inghams Group Limited (ASX: ING), which plunged 72 cents, or 20.3 per cent, to $2.83 after reporting a 10.2 per cent drop in full-year net profit to $90 million. Supermarket giant Coles Group Limited (ASX: COL) also fell 72 cents, in its case 3.3 per cent, to $20.85 ahead of its results on Tuesday.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) slid 96 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to $172.84, but Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC) advanced 25 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $38.98. National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB) put on 8 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to $42.47, while ANZ Group Holdings Limited (ASX: ANZ) surrendered 5 cents, to $33.87.

Biotech giant CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) completed a horror week with a slide of $9.40, or 4.2 per cent, to $216.60, taking its losses for the week to 20.4 per cent, after its earnings fell well short of expectations.

But buy-now, pay-later provider Zip Co Limited (ASX: ZIP) had a big day on Friday, jumping 63 cents, or 20.2 per cent, to $3.75 after beating earnings expectations and flagging a potential dual listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market (NASDAQ: NDAQ).

Fast food chain Guzman y Gomez Limited (ASX: GYG) plunged $5.27 on Friday, down 18.2 per cent to $23.70 after reporting an operating loss in its US division and weak Australian sales growth. Footwear retail group Accent Group Limited (ASX: AX1) slumped 29.5 cents, or 17.8 per cent, to $1.37, despite a decent result, because the company said trading for 2026 was tracking below market expectations. Fertility services provider Monash IVF Group Limited (ASX: MVF) dived 11 cents, or 13.7 per cent, to 69.5 cents after reporting an 8.1 per cent fall in net profit in FY25.

In the US, a dovish speech on US interest rates from Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell unleashed share buyers on Friday. Powell indicated that US rate cuts could restart at the September meeting, but that the Federal Reserve will move on rates in a restrained manner. That helped both the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: DJI) and the broader S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: SPX) hit record highs on Friday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: DJI) climbed 846.24 points, or 1.9 per cent, reaching a fresh high and closing at a record level of 45,631.74. The S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: SPX) surged 96.74 points, or 1.5 per cent, to end at 6,466.91, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (INDEXNASDAQ: IXIC) gained 396.22 points, or 1.9 per cent, to settle at 21,496.53. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: DJI) advanced 1.5 per cent and the S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: SPX) firmed 0.3 per cent, but the Nasdaq Composite Index (INDEXNASDAQ: IXIC) slid 0.6 per cent.