Australian shares were lower at midday, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.4% to 8,870 at 12:20pm as investors took profits ahead of the Reserve Bank’s interest rate decision. The market eased after reaching a two-month high on Monday, while the Australian dollar traded at US70.64 cents ahead of the central bank’s announcement. Technology and retail stocks led declines, with WiseTech Global, TechnologyOne, Wesfarmers and JB Hi-Fi weaker. Banks were mixed, while gold miners gained as bullion held near US$4,300 an ounce, lifting Newmont and Northern Star. Energy was the strongest sector as Brent crude edged higher, supporting Woodside and Santos, although Karoon Energy fell sharply after delaying a key production restart until at least 2027.
In other company news,
Critical Resources reaches battery manufacturing milestone
Critical Resources (ASX: CRR) has successfully produced a complete solid-state battery layer in a single dry manufacturing step, combining cathode, electrolyte and conductive materials without solvents or furnaces. The company said the breakthrough supports its strategy of developing licensable battery technology for defence, aerospace and high-density computing applications. Coin-cell testing is now underway.
Nanoveu demonstrates microphone-free voice detection
Nanoveu (ASX: NVU) has demonstrated real-time keyword spotting using jawbone vibration sensing and its ECS-DoT edge AI chip, operating at less than one milliwatt of power. The technology eliminates the need for microphones and reduces interference from background noise. The company said the breakthrough has applications across hearables, AR devices, industrial communications and defence systems, with customer engagement already underway.
QMines targets new copper-gold corridor at Mt Chalmers
QMines (ASX: QML) has identified a new structural corridor linking the Woods Shaft, Mt Chalmers and Botos deposits at its Queensland copper-gold project. The interpretation points to around four kilometres of largely untested strike between known mineralised zones. The company said Woods Shaft will be the first target tested, supported by previous drilling results including 37 metres at 3.14 grams per tonne of gold and 0.82% copper, with mineralisation remaining open at depth and along strike.
Tune in to our webinar tomorrow – Uncovering Hidden Gems series at 12:30pm Sydney time to hear from Ariana Resources (ASX: AA2), Clever Culture Systems (ASX: CC5) and Hiremii (ASX: HMI). Click here to register.
