S&P/ ASX 200 ends flat after 4.3 percent CPI

The S&P/ASX 200 closed at 8,847 points on October 28, down 2.8 points or 0.03 percent. Hot Australian inflation revived expectations for another Reserve Bank of Australia rate hike, AAP reported.

NextDC was the strongest major mover, rising 9.6 percent after a balance-sheet and compliance update eased debt concerns. International Business Times Australia linked the gain to the company's liquidity and covenant update.

Why did the S&P/ASX 200 give back gains?

The index had climbed as much as 0.9 percent to 8,928 points before the inflation release. The Australian Bureau of Statistics said annual consumer prices rose 4.3 percent in September, up from 4.0 percent in August and above the 4.2 percent forecast, the ABS said.

The quarterly trimmed mean, the Reserve Bank's preferred underlying measure, rose 1.0 percent and reached 3.7 percent annually. The data strengthened expectations of a November rate increase, while technology and mining gains limited the index decline.

Winners and losers in the S&P/ASX 200

End-of-session winners and losers came from the same market close, according to Investing.com:

• NextDC up 9.6 percent: balance-sheet and covenant update.
• IperionX up 8.8 percent.
• Perseus Mining up 7.9 percent.
• Reece down 8.7 percent.
• Yancoal Australia down 4.2 percent.
• New Hope down 4.1 percent.

Energy, consumer discretionary and utilities weakened. Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners by 616 to 431, with 334 unchanged.

The S&P/ASX 200 reversed an early rally

The benchmark opened at 8,880 points and finished at its session low of 8,847 points after the inflation data. The move left the index 81 points below its intraday high of 8,928 points.

Eight of the 11 sectors ended lower. Consumer discretionary shares faced rate sensitivity, while gains in technology and non-energy minerals offset losses in energy and utilities.

What comes next for the S&P/ASX 200

• October 29, 2026, 10:00 a.m. AEDT: The next Sydney session opens.
• November 2-3, 2026: The Reserve Bank of Australia holds its next monetary-policy meeting, Westpac reported.
• November 3, 2026: The RBA is scheduled to announce its next cash-rate decision, with all four major banks expecting a 0.25 percentage-point increase, Canstar said.

S&P/ASX 200 price data for October 28, 2026

The index closed at 8,847 points on October 28, down 2.8 points or 0.03 percent from the previous close of 8,850 points, AAP reported. It opened at 8,880 points, reached a high of 8,928 points and a low of 8,847 points.

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