index Update: The S&P/ASX 200 closed Tuesday modestly higher, adding 18.00 points, or 0.19%, to finish at 9,250.60. Market attention centred on the Reserve Bank of Australia, which unanimously left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35%, marking a second consecutive hold after three increases earlier this year.

The benchmark has gained 1.15% over the past five sessions and remains just 0.50% below its 52-week high. Sector performance was mixed, with more sectors finishing lower despite the broader market gain. Energy led the advance, jumping 3.91% on the day and extending its five-day gain to 2.38%. Health Care climbed 2.15%, Utilities gained 0.98% and Materials added 0.51%. Consumer Staples fell 1.46%, while Information Technology declined 0.83% and Industrials slipped 0.75%.

Macro Update: The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% on 11 August, following three increases earlier this year. The Board said Inflation remains too high, with trimmed mean inflation still elevated and higher energy costs continuing to add pressure. Financial conditions have tightened, consumer spending is slowing and labour market conditions have eased slightly, while housing momentum has weakened. The RBA expects inflation to return to around the midpoint of its target range only by late 2027. With Monetary Policy already restrictive, the Board opted to hold rates but warned further increases remain possible if inflation risks intensify.

Top Market Movers: Austal Limited (ASX:ASB) led the gainers, surging 17.45% to AUD 4.510, followed by Helia Group Limited (ASX:HLI), up 10.16% to AUD 5.640, and Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (ASX:EOS), which gained 6.52% to AUD 8.000. Among the decliners, Life360 Inc. (ASX:360) fell 19.44% to AUD 23.750, Arena REIT (ASX:ARF) dropped 12.50% to AUD 2.240, while SGH Limited (ASX:SGH) declined 10.27% to AUD 41.580.

Commodity Update: The U.S. dollar rebounded from a two-month low against major currencies as markets awaited key inflation data that could influence expectations for the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate path. Gold advanced 1.17% to USD 4,472.50, while silver gained 0.99% to USD 65.95. Copper edged 0.11% higher to USD 14,175.00. Brent Crude oil rose 0.20% to USD 87.92 after a sharp previous-session increase, as fading expectations of an imminent agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz kept Supply concerns in focus.

Our Stance: The S&P/ASX 200 edged higher on Tuesday, gaining 0.19% to 9,250.60 as the Reserve Bank of Australia kept the cash rate unchanged at 4.35%. Energy led sector gains, while Consumer Staples and Information Technology weighed on broader Market Breadth . Austal, Helia Group and Electro Optic Systems topped the gainers, while Life360, Arena REIT and SGH recorded the sharpest declines. Gold, silver and copper advanced, while Brent crude remained firm amid Strait of Hormuz supply concerns. Overall, the index remains close to its 52-week high, but persistent inflation and the RBA’s readiness to tighten further could keep sentiment cautious.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index gained 18.00 points in the latest Trading session , forming a bullish candlestick pattern that reflects renewed buying interest and improving market sentiment. The index continues to maintain a constructive technical structure, with momentum indicators remaining supportive and suggesting that buyers are actively accumulating during market dips, reinforcing the prevailing uptrend. From a technical perspective, immediate support is positioned near 9,180.80. As long as the index holds above this key support zone, the broader bullish outlook remains intact, increasing the possibility of further upside movement and a retest of recent highs. A decisive breakout above the recent swing high near 9,260.00 would further strengthen the bullish setup and could pave the way toward the next resistance level around 9,320.00 in the upcoming sessions.