Good afternoon and welcome to the ASX Today. It is Tuesday of Week 25, and earnings season is in full swing. The ASX is firmly higher at lunchtime, with every sector in positive territory as investors digest a fresh batch of corporate results and take cues from the RBA’s August policy minutes. With company updates landing across multiple sectors, the session is highlighting how results season can quickly shift attention from broad macro signals to individual stock moves.

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At its August meeting, the central bank kept the cash rate at 4.35 per cent, with members noting that inflation had eased from its March peak.

The ASX 200 is up 0.6 per cent, helped by a new record high for mining heavyweight BHP. The stock touched $68.22 intraday and is up 1 per cent overall. Rio Tinto and South32 are also advancing as optimism around copper supports the miners. In energy, Woodside is up 2.4 per cent after reporting a 7 per cent rise in first-half net profit before one-off items, helped by higher commodity prices.

Healthcare is leading the market. Ansell is up 7 per cent after yesterday’s sharp rally, following a stronger-than-expected earnings outlook for the year ahead. CSL is adding another 2.5 per cent, taking its gains this month to almost 50 per cent.

Banks are also higher, led by insurers. Suncorp has climbed 6.1 per cent and Insurance Australia Group is up 5.2 per cent.

Coles is in focus after its full-year result, which showed a $1.1 billion annual profit. The company said food sales momentum improved towards the end of the financial year, although performance in its Liquorland division was weaker.

Aurizon has announced a $250 million share buybuyback, saying its financial performance, cash generation and balance sheet support the capital return.

In tech, WiseTech Global has appointed former Oracle and SAP executive Tim Ebbeck as an independent non-executive director, with results due tomorrow.

Beyond the ASX, Bitcoin has moved back above US$80,000, reaching its highest level since May as renewed optimism around the cryptocurrency market coincides with a weaker US dollar.

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