Sydney, Feb 9, 2026, 21:54 AEDT — After-hours
- ASX 200 rebounded 1.85%, recovering ground lost in Friday’s sharp drop.
- Leading the way: tech and real estate. CAR Group jumps after posting results.
- Focus swings to upcoming bank results and a slate of important U.S. data releases this week.
Australian stocks snapped back sharply Monday, reversing course as investors rushed into names battered last week. The S&P/ASX 200 finished up 161.3 points, or 1.85%, closing at 8,870.1. The All Ordinaries tacked on 1.97%. “Just a remarkable rebound,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said to AAP. 1
The rebound comes just as risk sentiment gets tested. With earnings piling up on the calendar, investors are left to figure out if Friday’s selloff was simply a blip—or the first sign of deeper trouble.
The latest figures haven’t put the argument to rest. December saw Australian household spending slip by 0.4%, according to the ABS’ monthly indicator, after robust increases in October and November. Interest-rate swaps are still pricing in a 74% probability of the Reserve Bank of Australia hiking rates again in May. “The RBA’s rate hike last week will weigh on spending growth in 2026,” said Ben Udy, lead economist at Oxford Economics Australia. 2
It was a sweeping rally: every major sector closed in the green. Information technology tacked on 3.3%, the gold sub-index jumped 5.5%. Car Group soared 9.9% on the back of a strong first-half FY26 update and a steady outlook; management pointed to pro forma (adjusted) revenue up 13% to $626 million, with pro forma EBITDA up 12% to $339 million. Goodman Group picked up 6.5%. Bravura Solutions rallied close to 29%, Pepper Money up roughly 28%. 3
Bank stocks and miners managed to lift the market a bit, coming off Friday’s 2% slide. The “Big Four” banks picked up between 0.4% and 1.2%. BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue each climbed, some up to 3.9%, tracking copper’s push back past $13,000 a metric ton. Gold shares turned higher too, catching a lift from bullion’s rebound. Traders were watching for results from CSL and South32 later this week. 4
Deal chatter sent some individual stocks flying. Pepper Money (PPM.AX) shot up over 33% at one stage after Challenger (CGF.AX) and top shareholder Pepper Group lobbed a takeover bid, putting a A$1.16 billion ($815 million) tag on the non-bank lender. Their offer: A$2.60 per share. “It’s a strong outcome for Pepper holders,” said Mark Gardner, founder and CEO at MPC markets. Challenger, for its part, said it wouldn’t lift its stake above 25% if the deal goes ahead. 5
Steadier signals from overseas set a firmer backdrop. U.S. chip names and other previously battered assets bounced, pulling global equities higher. Now, traders are eyeing a stretch of U.S. data—jobs, inflation, spending—that might sway expectations for a possible Fed rate cut by June. 6
But Monday’s finish hardly settles things. Disappointing earnings, a renewed dip in commodities, or stronger U.S. numbers could all send rate bets climbing again and put the market at risk for another abrupt swing.
Banks are front and center this Tuesday. Commonwealth Bank drops its half-year numbers Feb. 11, followed by ANZ’s first-quarter trading update on Feb. 12. Westpac lines up first-quarter results for Feb. 13, with NAB rounding out the pack on Feb. 18 with its own trading update. 7
