Sydney, Jan 18, 2026, 17:34 (AEDT) — Market closed
- Woolworths Group shares last closed up 0.5% at A$30.35 on Friday. 1
- Australia’s next inflation update is due on Jan. 28, a key input into rate bets and consumer spending views. 2
- Woolworths is set to report its first-half results on Feb. 25. 3
Woolworths Group Ltd shares (WOW.AX) last ended at A$30.35 on Friday, after trading between A$30.09 and A$30.41, company data showed. 4
The week ahead matters more than the quiet weekend tape. Investors in supermarkets have a straight run into inflation and central bank catalysts that can swing rate expectations and, by extension, how hard households pull back. 5
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s next policy meeting runs Feb. 2–3, with its decision statement due at 2:30 p.m. AEDT on Feb. 3, the central bank’s calendar shows. 6
On Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.48% at 8,903.90. Woolworths’ last move broadly tracked that tone into the close. 7
Consumer staples outpaced the broader market on the day, rising 1.08%, according to Market Index sector data. That relative strength often shows up when traders want earnings that look steady, even if the macro turns choppy. 8
Peers also finished higher on Friday. Coles Group last closed up 0.67% at A$21.08, while Metcash ended up 0.91% at A$3.33, pricing data showed. 9
There has been little fresh company disclosure to trade off. Woolworths’ ASX announcements page shows its most recent market filing dated Dec. 17, 2025. 10
So the next company-defined waypoint is the reporting cycle. Woolworths’ shareholder calendar lists its H1 FY26 results for Feb. 25. 11
Macro moves can still leak into “defensive” names. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver wrote that “this year will see a volatile ride for investors,” a backdrop that can lift or clip supermarket multiples even when sales hold up. 12
But the risk case is sitting in plain sight: a hotter inflation print can pull rate-cut talk off the table, raise the hurdle for valuations and tighten budgets at the checkout. If discounting intensifies again, supermarkets can keep volume moving and still give away margin.
There was also a fresh reminder this week that supply chains carry their own headaches. The ABC reported workers at a company that supplies Coles and Woolworths said they were chasing unpaid wages, with liquidators investigating the firm. 13
Australian markets also lose a day later this month. The ASX trading calendar shows the cash market will be closed on Monday, Jan. 26 for Australia Day. 14
The next clean read for rate-sensitive sentiment is the Dec. 2025 CPI release on Wednesday, Jan. 28, before attention swings to Woolworths’ Feb. 25 half-year report. 15
