Sydney, February 8, 2026, 17:27 AEDT — Market closed
- Woodside (ASX:WDS) slipped 1.6% to finish at A$25.48 on Friday, tracking the broader market lower.
- Brent crude finished up at $68.05, buoyed by Iran risk. Still, equities kept to risk-off mode.
- Attention swings to Woodside, with full-year results, dividend details, and outlook signals set for Feb. 24.
Woodside Energy Group Ltd ended Friday down 1.6%, shedding 42 Australian cents to finish at A$25.48. The ASX is closed until Monday, when traders will get their first shot to respond to oil prices and broader risk sentiment.
The move is drawing attention—Woodside stands out as Australia’s go-to energy stock, often giving a snapshot of where investors are placing their bets on crude and LNG (liquefied natural gas, shipped overseas in chilled form). On Friday, the sector didn’t get much of a look-in after the market drop.
The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia slid roughly 2% on Friday, finishing the week on a sharp downturn. “Panic is spreading,” said MooMoo Australia analyst Michael McCarthy, as investors dumped shares across several markets at once. ABC News
Oil broke away from the slide in stocks. Brent crude closed out Friday at $68.05 a barrel, rising 0.74%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate ticked up too, ending at $63.55, a 0.41% gain. “We keep going back and forth on this Iran situation,” said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital, after negotiators wrapped up U.S.-Iran talks and returned home for consultations. Reuters
For Woodside, the tension trade’s a double-edged sword. Higher crude prices help with cash flow and dividends, sure, but the shares aren’t immune—broader selling can pull the stock down when funds trim their positions.
The oil rebound looks shaky. Should the Iran risk premium evaporate, or supply concerns re-emerge, crude prices could fall again—dragging energy stocks down too. Woodside, in that case, would have to rely on its own news flow to carry the load.
Woodside has set Tuesday, Feb. 24 for the release of its 2025 annual report, along with updates on climate, sustainability, and an investor briefing. The company says acting CEO Liz Westcott and CFO Graham Tiver will lead a morning teleconference, taking questions from investors afterward.
After the last update, investors zeroed in on 2026 volume figures and how Woodside plans to deliver on projects. The company has warned that 2026 production will dip, citing maintenance work—Pluto LNG’s big turnaround is on the schedule—and now expects Scarborough’s first barrels later that year.
