The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is losing ground on Thursday, with another wave of selling pushing the market closer to the 9,000-point mark.

At the time of writing, the benchmark is down 0.77% to 9,057 points after touching an intraday low of 9,053 points.

That puts the index at its lowest level in 4 trading days and continues the pullback from the stronger levels seen earlier this month.

There also aren’t many places for investors to hide today, with 144 shares trading lower compared with just 48 moving higher.

So, what’s behind the weakness?

Rate hike concerns are growing

The biggest issue hanging over the market is the changing outlook for interest rates.

Wednesday’s hotter-than-expected inflation figures already had investors reconsidering whether the RBA could raise rates again.

Household spending increased 1.1% in July and was 7% higher than a year earlier, showing Australian consumers are still spending despite higher borrowing costs.

The latest figures have added to concerns that another RBA rate hike could be on the way.

That’s worth watching with the share market still trading close to record highs and valuations are already looking pretty high.

Morgan Stanley has warned that Australian equities are “not priced for a hike”, noting the ASX 200 is trading on a 12-month forward P/E ratio of 18.1 times.

With another rate hike now a real possibility, investors are becoming more cautious after the market’s run towards record levels.

Most sectors are moving lower

The weakness is spread across most sectors, but several large companies are doing plenty of damage to the index.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 0.95% to $66.76, while fellow heavyweight Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are 0.15% lower at $155.22.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares have dropped 1.36% to $82.14, while Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares are down 3.21% to $38.89.

Property shares are also weaker, with Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) down 1.06% to $27.92.

Nonetheless, there are still a few pockets of strength.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) shares are up 4.39% to $9.63 following its FY26 result, while CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are 0.44% higher at $173.20.

Foolish takeaway

The ASX 200 is now sitting less than 60 points above the psychological 9,000-point mark, so that level will be worth watching if the selling continues.

Much will depend on whether concerns around another rate hike ease or build further in the lead-up to the RBA’s September meeting.

The post Why is the ASX 200 falling to a 4-day low today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Do leading brokers rate Woolworths shares as a buy following its results?
• Should I buy CSL shares before the end of August?
• Another RBA interest rate hike could be just weeks away. Here’s what the big banks think
• Where I’d invest $10,000 in ASX shares in September
• Qantas shares jump 4% today: Is this the start of a rebound?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Goodman Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, Goodman Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares are under pressure on Thursday.

In afternoon trade, the supermarket giant’s shares are down 3% to $38.96.

Is this a buying opportunity for investors? Let’s see what two leading brokers are saying about the company following its results release this week.

What are brokers saying?

Bell Potter was pleased with the company’s performance in FY 2026, noting that its net profit was ahead of expectations. It said:

WOW reported a FY26 underlying NPAT ahead of our expectations at $1,599m (BPe $1,511m and VA $1,553m). Key operating statistics of the result included: Operating results: Revenue of $71,539m was up +4% YoY (vs. BPe $71,431m and VA of $71,628m). EBITDA of $6,089m was up +7% YOY (vs. BPe of $6,123m and VA of $6,133m). Underlying NPAT of $1,599m was up +15% YOY (vs. BPe of $1,511m and VA of $1,553m). Group gross margin was up +12bps YoY and CODB was down -13bps YoY.

In response to the result and outlook commentary, the broker has made a material increase to its near-term estimates. It revealed that “NPAT changes are +16% in FY27e and +12% in FY28e.”

This has led to Bell Potter increasing its price target on Woolworths shares to $42.35 (from $35.50).

However, with potential upside now just under 9%, that isn’t quite enough for a buy rating, and the broker has held firm with its hold recommendation. It commented:

There has been a clear acceleration in the topline of the Australian food business in recent quarters (>200bp outperformance since 2Q26) and material recovery in the Big W business driving a return to growth at WOW. Continued growth in eCommerce sales in the Australian Food business (>17% in penetration in 4Q26), A material uplift in digital platform traffic (+13% YoY in 4Q26) and growth in active rewards members (to 10.8m users) are all encouraging signals for investments in online capability and customer capture. In the near term, WOW should also benefit from reduced supply chain implementation costs ($113m expense in FY26).

What else are brokers saying?

The team at Morgans is a little more positive on Woolworths shares. Following a review of the results, the broker has retained its accumulate rating (between buy and hold) with an improved price target of $43.50. This implies potential upside of almost 12% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its recommendation, Morgans said:

WOW’s FY26 result was slightly better than expected. Australian Food earnings were in line with our forecast, while Australian B2B and W Living exceeded expectations. NZ Food was softer following a challenging 2H26. Encouragingly, Australian Food sales momentum has continued into early FY27, supported by the popular Disney Ooshies collectibles campaign. 

Excluding this benefit, sales growth remained solid, indicating the underlying business continues to perform well. We adjust FY27/28/29F underlying EBIT by +2%/+2%+4%. Our target price increases to $43.50 (from $37.30), reflecting changes to earnings forecasts and a higher valuation multiple. The multiple expansion reflects continued positive momentum in the core Australian Food segment, our increased confidence that this sales growth can be sustained, and improved execution. We maintain our ACCUMULATE rating.

The post Do leading brokers rate Woolworths shares as a buy following its results? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is the ASX 200 falling to a 4-day low today?
• 3 ASX 200 dividend shares that just hiked their payouts
• South32, Woolworths, BHP shares reach 52-week high: Buy, sell or hold?
• Everything you need to know about the Woolworths dividend
• Why Woolworths, Domino’s and DroneShield shares are turning heads on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Walt Disney and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Walt Disney. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS) share price is in focus today after releasing its FY26 results, highlighted by a 22% lift in revenue to $702.8 million and net profit after tax soaring 295% to $178.5 million.

What did Aeris Resources report?

• Revenue rose 22% to $702.8 million
• EBITDA jumped 81% to $290.2 million
• Net profit after tax surged 295% to $178.5 million
• Operating cash flow more than doubled to $275.6 million
• Net assets climbed to $599.5 million, up 89%
• Cash and cash equivalents increased to $164.9 million from $28.2 million

What else do investors need to know?

Aeris Resources strengthened its balance sheet during FY26 after a successful $96.8 million capital raising. Proceeds were partly used to fully repay and cancel a $50 million loan facility, saving around $6 million in interest and fees for the year ahead.

Operationally, copper production at Tritton rose 19% to 23,000 tonnes, boosting revenue, while the Cracow operation benefited from higher gold prices despite lower gold output. The company also recognised historical tax losses for the first time, resulting in a $51.5 million income tax benefit and further supporting statutory profits.

Investing activities were stepped up, including development at Murrawombie, early works at Constellation, and increased exploration, leading to improvements in Aeris’ Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve Statement.

What did Aeris Resources management say?

Aeris’ Executive Chairman Andre Labuschagne said:

Aeris delivered strong FY26 financial results, underpinned by continued operational improvement, resilience and cost discipline, enabling Aeris to maximise the benefit of a favourable commodity price environment. These factors resulted in strong operating cash flows, further strengthening our cash balance and overall financial position.

The significant progress made during FY26, together with our strong balance sheet and continued focus on operational improvement, positions Aeris well to deliver another strong performance in FY27 and advance our growth opportunities.

What’s next for Aeris Resources?

Aeris Resources finished FY26 with no debt, increased cash reserves, and a stronger net asset base, providing flexibility for growth. The company will focus on advancing its Constellation project and supporting exploration across its assets.

Management says it remains committed to disciplined cost management, operational improvement, and investigating strategic mergers and acquisitions to drive stakeholder value. Investors can expect further updates on project progress and potential resource upgrades through FY27.

Aeris Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Aeris Resources shares have risen 138%, outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) by a wide margin.

View Original Announcement

The post Aeris Resources: FY26 profit surges on revenue growth and cash boost appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares tipped to grow 40% or more in the next 12 months
• Morgans names 3 ASX shares to buy now
• Aeris Resources releases FY27 production and capital guidance

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.