SYDNEY, Feb 7, 2026, 17:41 AEDT — The market has closed.
- Wesfarmers slipped 1.33% to finish Friday at A$85.04.
- Shares have moved alongside the wider ASX, with investors paring back risk and taking another look at consumer-facing stocks.
- Next week brings a fresh batch of Australia data, with traders also bracing for Wesfarmers’ results on Feb. 19.
Wesfarmers shares fell 1.33% to A$85.04 on Friday, giving back some of Thursday’s strong rally as the Australian market lost ground heading into the weekend. 1
Right now, timing has become a central issue. Australia’s reporting season is heating up, with Wesfarmers set to release its half-year numbers on Feb. 19—a date that’s been marked on investor calendars, as they watch for clues about household spending and group margins. 2
It’s been anything but a quiet week for the broader tape. Wild swings in commodities and tech have prompted investors to pare back positions in cyclicals — those stocks tied closely to the economic cycle — a shift that can drag retail names lower, even in the absence of any new headlines from the companies themselves.
The S&P/ASX 200 slid 2% on Friday, notching its sharpest single-day decline in close to 10 months as every sector took a hit, according to Reuters. “Global risk sentiment weakened sharply overnight as investors rotated out of high-multiple and cyclically-exposed sectors,” said Marc Jocum, senior product and investment strategist at Global X ETFs. 3
The previous day told a different story. Resource and energy names kept the ASX in check, while consumer discretionary stocks — think retailers and companies tied to spending — managed to find some traction, Reuters reported. 4
Wesfarmers moved with the swings, gaining 2.11% on Feb. 5 before losing 1.33% the next day. That left shares roughly flat across the two closes, market data shows. 5
Local data is set to hit next week, likely steering retail sentiment. The ABS will release its Monthly Household Spending Indicator for December on Monday, Feb. 9. 6
The ABS will publish December Building Approvals on Tuesday, Feb. 10—a data point investors typically watch for clues on where home improvement demand might be headed. 7
The ABS lending indicators out Wednesday offer a fresh snapshot of credit conditions and housing finance trends. 8
Rates are still front and center. Next up on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s schedule: Assistant Governor Sarah Hunter is set to speak Feb. 12, with February meeting minutes due out Feb. 17. Both could move the needle on where markets see borrowing costs headed. 9
But here’s the snag for bulls: should global risk sentiment sour again, or if upcoming data on spending and credit falls short, investors could keep sidestepping consumer stocks before results land—even if Wesfarmers doesn’t say a word.
Wesfarmers’ half-year numbers arrive Thursday, Feb. 19, marking the next key test. Traders will be alert for fresh details on sales trends and cost headwinds, and any signs that management’s guidance changes after the choppy start to February. 2
