Sydney, January 19, 2026, 17:31 AEDT — The market has closed.
- Woodside (ASX:WDS) closed roughly 0.3% higher at A$23.75, with intraday moves ranging from A$23.53 to A$23.79
- Oil hovered close to recent peaks, providing some support to energy stocks even as the wider market slipped
- Next catalysts: Australia’s jobs report lands Jan. 22; Woodside set to release Q4 results Jan. 28
Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS.AX), an LNG and oil producer, closed Monday up roughly 0.3% at A$23.75. Shares swung between A$23.53 and A$23.79 during the session, edging above Friday’s close of A$23.68. (Investing)
The shift comes amid a tug of war between rising crude prices and a worsening risk appetite following new tariff threats from Washington. Deutsche Bank strategist George Saravelos cautioned about the “weaponisation of capital” should the conflict intensify. (Reuters)
Oil provided some early support. Brent crude, the global benchmark, edged up 0.09% to $64.19 a barrel as tensions in Iran eased, cutting fears of a U.S. strike. Still, IG’s Tony Sycamore noted the rise mainly reflected a pullback of the “Iran premium.” Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights, predicted prices would remain rangebound, especially with U.S. markets closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (Reuters)
Australian shares ended the day in the red, with the S&P/ASX 200 slipping 0.33%. Losses were driven mainly by IT, telecoms, and consumer discretionary sectors, data from Investing.com showed. (Investing)
Macro data is up next. Australia’s labour force report for December 2025 drops at 11:30 a.m. AEDT on Jan. 22. Investors closely watch this release for clues on where interest rates might head. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Woodside’s next big date is its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report on Jan. 28, with the full 2025 annual report due Feb. 24, according to its investor calendar. (Woodside)
However, the stock could quickly reverse course if crude prices fall or if tariff concerns begin to weigh on growth and energy demand outlooks. The quarterly update might also trigger a revaluation of the shares, depending on any changes to production, shipments, or spending projections.
Traders will eye oil as U.S. markets reopen Tuesday, then shift focus to the January 22 jobs report and Woodside’s earnings release on January 28 for fresh data points.
