Australia: Stocks Trade Lower After Wall Street Losses.

Australian shares slipped 26 points, or 0.3%, to 8,701 in early Thursday trade, extending the prior session’s drop as subdued U.S. stock futures followed Wall Street’s break from recent winning streaks overnight. Surging Treasury yields reignited inflation concerns, while Fed minutes revealed divisions over the rationale for further hikes, with most officials anticipating another move by year-end. Locally, October inflation expectations rose to a four-month high, reflecting persistent price pressures amid elevated global energy costs linked to Middle East tensions. Losses were contained as markets in top trading partner China prepared to reopen after the Golden Week holiday. Tech, non-energy minerals, and logistics drove weakness, though gains in consumer non-durables, energy minerals, and retail trade limited downside. Heavyweight BHP Group fell 2.4%, while Lynas Rare Earths (-4.4%), Fortescue (-3.4%), Evolution Mining (-2.2%), and Northern Star Resources (-2.0%) also weighed.