- A Bounce, But Not a Clean Recovery
- Commodities Flip the Narrative
- Aussie Indexes
- Global Markets Snap Back
- Global Indexes
- ASX Big Movers
- Top 5 ASX 200 Gainers
- Top 5 Laggards
- Commodities Are Back in Focus
- Metals and Minerals
- Energy Markets Remain Volatile
- Currency Markets Still Reflect Risk
- What to Watch Next Week
- A Practical Takeaway
A Bounce, But Not a Clean Recovery
Australian equities finally broke their losing streak, with the ASX 200 finishing the week higher as a strong rebound in gold and base metals pulled the index up, even as banks, technology, and healthcare continued to lag behind.
It looks like a recovery on the surface. It is not that simple. Underneath, the same rotation remains in place, with capital still favouring resources and defensives while growth and rate sensitive sectors struggle to regain momentum.
That tension is still driving the market.
Commodities Flip the Narrative
The key shift this week came from commodities.
After a sharp sell off in the prior fortnight, gold and silver bounced aggressively, which provided immediate support for the materials sector and lifted sentiment across resource heavy parts of the market.
At the same time, global markets responded positively to signs that geopolitical tensions may ease, even if only temporarily, which helped risk appetite recover and supported a broader rally across equities.
Oil remains volatile. Markets are reacting to every headline.
Aussie Indexes
The index level move was modest, but the internal moves were much more meaningful, with resources leading while several key sectors remained under pressure.
| Index / Sector | Weekly move (to 4 Apr) |
|---|---|
| S&P/ASX 200 | +0.74% |
| All Ordinaries | +0.71% |
| Materials | +3.44% |
| Metals & Mining | +3.63% |
| Gold Index | +9.67% |
| Energy | +1.25% |
| Consumer Staples | +1.63% |
| Utilities | +1.56% |
| Communication Services | +1.28% |
| Industrials | +0.06% |
| A-REITs | +0.34% |
| Financials | -0.37% |
| Health Care | -1.65% |
| Consumer Discretionary | -0.56% |
| Info Technology | -0.86% |
| All Technology Index | -0.60% |
The leadership is narrow.
Global Markets Snap Back
Global equities followed a similar pattern, with a sharp rebound after several weeks of declines, led by US technology and European large caps as sentiment improved on hopes that the current conflict may not escalate indefinitely.
The rally was strong. But it remains fragile.
Global Indexes
| Index | Weekly move |
|---|---|
| S&P 500 | +3.36% |
| Dow Jones | +2.96% |
| Nasdaq Comp | +4.44% |
| FTSE 100 | +4.70% |
| DAX 30 | +3.89% |
| Nikkei 225 | -0.47% (small pause) |
| Hang Seng | +0.66% |
Markets are stabilising, but conviction is still limited.
ASX Big Movers
Markets were closed for Good Friday, so Thursday 2 April marked the final trading session, with gains concentrated in energy, defensives, and names with direct exposure to oil price movements.
Top 5 ASX 200 Gainers
| Rank | Code | Company | Close | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KAR | Karoon Energy | $2.12 | +6.53% |
| 2 | AAI | Alcoa (ASX listed CDI) | $101.74 | +4.72% |
| 3 | COL | Coles Group | $22.62 | +2.59% |
| 4 | PDI | Predictive Discovery | $0.835 | +1.83% |
| 5 | HDN | HomeCo Daily Needs REIT | $1.21 | +1.69% |
Karoon stands out. It reflects direct leverage to oil. Defensives are still being bought.
Top 5 Laggards
There was no clear cluster of heavy selling on the final trading day, with most sectors either flat or modestly higher, and without reliable published data it is better to avoid forcing a table that lacks accuracy.
That in itself tells a story. Selling pressure has eased, at least for now.
Commodities Are Back in Focus
This week reinforced how quickly commodities can shift market direction, particularly in environments where geopolitical risk and inflation expectations are both moving at the same time.
Gold and silver rebounded strongly. Base metals followed. Oil pushed higher again.
Metals and Minerals
| Commodity | Weekly move | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Gold (oz) | +6.18% | Back near US$4,680, still +6.7% YTD |
| Silver (oz) | +7.04% | Recovery after sharp falls |
| Copper (lb) | +2.07% | Quiet strength |
| Aluminium (lb) | +6.76% | Strong bounce, +17.7% YTD |
| Zinc (lb) | +5.70% | Moving with broader metals |
| Nickel (lb) | -2.46% | One of the few declines |
| Iron ore (t) | +1.23% | Holding above US$107 |
| Uranium (lb) | +0.67% | Gradual upward trend |
The shift towards transition metals remains a theme.
Energy Markets Remain Volatile
| Benchmark | Weekly move | Level |
|---|---|---|
| WTI crude | +19.03% | US$111.54 |
| Brent crude | +8.28% | US$109.24 |
Oil continues to move on headlines. That is unlikely to change soon.
Currency Markets Still Reflect Risk
Currency markets are telling a consistent story, with the US dollar remaining strong while the Australian dollar continues to trade under pressure as risk sentiment and commodity volatility drive positioning.
The moves are not extreme. But they are persistent.
What to Watch Next Week
With reporting season behind us, macro and geopolitics are back in focus, with energy markets, central bank expectations, and global growth signals driving most of the short term direction.
Energy remains the key swing factor. Gold and materials will need to prove this rally has depth. Banks and REITs remain tied to rate expectations.
A Practical Takeaway
This was not a broad based recovery. It was a commodities driven rebound. That distinction matters, because it highlights that the underlying market structure has not changed significantly, even if headline indices have stabilised.
Resources are leading. Defensives are holding. Growth is still lagging. For now, that is the market.