The S&P/ASX 200 fell 56 points, or 0.6%, to close at 8,711 on Tuesday, marking a sixth consecutive session of losses and its lowest in near three weeks. Sentiment remained cautious ahead of Australia’s March CPI report due Wednesday, with markets expecting inflation around 4.7%, potentially the highest since the monthly series began in April 2025, on persistent cost pressures that have built since mid-2025. Investors also stayed on the sidelines before the Reserve Bank’s policy review next week. Globally, U.S. stock futures were mixed as the Fed kicks off its two-day meeting later today, while uncertainty over the Middle East conflict added another layer of caution, with traders assessing its potential impact on interest rate outlook. Losses were broad-based, led by non-energy minerals, consumer services, and retail. Aristocrat Leisure dipped 4.2%, followed by Origin Energy (-4.1%), Evolution Mining (-3.1%), and Genesis Minerals (-2.5%). Two of the four major banks also ended lower.