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Highlights

  • ASX 200 jumps 1.1%, snapping steep losses from Monday’s sell-off

  • Gains led by miners and financials as global trade jitters ease slightly

  • Treasurer Chalmers reassures markets on limited direct impact from U.S. tariffs

Australian shares rebounded sharply on Tuesday, reversing some of the previous session’s steep losses, as investors found relief in reassuring comments from federal officials regarding the potential fallout from U.S. trade policy. Gains in heavyweight mining and banking stocks helped lift the broader market, reflecting a renewed sense of confidence following a turbulent start to the trading week.

The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 1.1% to close at 7,423.40 points by 0035 GMT. This marked a signifcant recovery after Monday's sell-off, which saw the benchmark drop 4.2%—its worst single-day performance in recent months—amid global market turmoil sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers struck a cautiously optimistic tone, suggesting that while there would be some impact, the domestic economy was well-positioned to weather the storm.

“We expect more manageable impacts on the Australian economy,” Chalmers said. “But we still expect Australian GDP to take a hit, and we expect there to be an impact on prices here as well.”

His comments were interpreted by investors as a sign that the government is proactively working to mitigate risks posed by escalating global trade tensions. Market participants also appeared to welcome the sense of calm projected by economic policymakers following Monday’s panic-driven trading session.

The mining sub-index (XMM) led sectoral gains, climbing 1.7% and breaking a four-day losing streak. BHP Group, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue Metals all advanced between 1% and 1.8%, buoyed by stabilizing commodity prices and improved sentiment around global demand.

Financial stocks also contributed significantly to the rally. The financials index (XFJ) rose 0.8%, ending a three-session losing run. Australia’s "Big Four" banks—Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, NAB, and Westpac—gained between 0.6% and 1.3%, helping to anchor the broader recovery.

Energy stocks followed suit, with the energy sector (XEJ) gaining 1.8%, tracking a rebound in oil prices after Monday’s sell-off. Woodside Energy added 0.6%, while Santos surged 2.1%.

Despite the day’s upbeat tone, market uncertainty remains elevated. Monday’s plunge led to increased speculation that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could act aggressively at its next meeting, with traders now pricing in a 20% chance of a 50-basis-point rate cut in May.

Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 index also posted gains, climbing 1.1% to 11,902.64 points. Finance Minister Nicola Willis acknowledged some potential economic headwinds from the new U.S. tariffs but reassured markets that New Zealand had "the right settings and policies" in place to manage global financial instability.