S&P/ ASX 200 closes higher after RBA warning, 14 points
Published on 10/21/2026 at 13:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSClosing balance and next dates
- The S&P/ASX 200 finished October 21 at 8,831 points, up 14 points or 0.2 percent.
- RBA official Andrew Hauser said inflation was 3.5 percent and materially worse than forecast.
- NextDC plunged 40.5 percent, while Mesoblast led gainers with a 6.0 percent rise.
- Orthocell will discuss quarterly results on October 22 at 11:00 a.m. AEDT.
The S&P/ASX 200 closed at 8,831 points on October 21, up 14 points or 0.2 percent. The index recovered late despite a warning from Reserve Bank of Australia Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser that inflation was running materially worse than forecast, CommBank reports.
NextDC was the session's biggest drag, falling 40.5 percent after cutting guidance because of power delays at its Melbourne data center. Mesoblast led the gainers, rising 6.0 percent, while technology stocks fell 3.3 percent, PerthNow and Investing.com show.
Why did the S&P/ASX 200 recover?
Hauser said businesses were beginning to view 3.5 percent inflation as the new normal. His remarks increased expectations for another rate increase at the Reserve Bank's November 3 meeting.
The index fell 0.2 percent around lunchtime before a late rally. The Australian dollar climbed to 70.1 US cents, while Brent crude traded above USD 110 per barrel. The market move and the rate expectations were detailed by Australian Financial Review.
Winners and losers in the S&P/ASX 200
Winners and losers at the Sydney close according to Investing.com:
- Mesoblast up 6.0 percent
- Beach Energy up 5.8 percent
- Megaport up 5.1 percent
- NextDC down 40.5 percent: guidance was cut after power delays
- Telix Pharmaceuticals down 7.4 percent
- Reliance Worldwide down 4.8 percent
Telecommunications, industrials and financials led the market. Eight of 11 sectors rose, while decliners outnumbered advancers by 560 to 478, with 386 stocks unchanged.
Technology weakness offsets stronger banks
Information technology fell 3.3 percent and materials declined 1.0 percent. Communication services gained 2.2 percent, industrials rose 1.0 percent and financials added 1.0 percent, according to Motley Fool Australia.
What comes next for the S&P/ASX 200
- October 22, 2026, 10:00 a.m. AEDT: The next S&P/ASX 200 session begins in Sydney.
- October 22, 2026, 11:00 a.m. AEDT: Orthocell will discuss its September-quarter results and commercial plans, Yahoo Finance Australia reports.
- November 3, 2026: The RBA's next policy meeting will test expectations for another rate increase, AAP reports.
S&P/ASX 200 price data for October 21, 2026
The S&P/ASX 200 closed at 8,831 points on October 21, 2026, up 14 points or 0.2 percent from the previous close of 8,817 points, Investing.com reports. The previous session ended at 8,817 points.
S&P/ASX 200 by the numbers on October 21, 2026
- Index: S&P/ASX 200
- Home exchange: ASX, Australia
- Close on October 21, 2026: 8,831 points
- Change versus previous close of October 20, 2026: up 14 points (up 0.2 percent)
- Previous close: 8,817 points
- Top gainer: Mesoblast up 6.0 percent
- Top loser: NextDC down 40.5 percent
- Next scheduled event: October 22, 2026, 11:00 a.m. AEDT: Orthocell quarterly results webinar
