Australian shares are set for a stronger start on Monday, with futures pointing to a 0.9% rise, or an 80-point gain, after Trump paused plans to “repeatedly strike Iran” while he looks for peace options. A cautious pause on Wall Street ahead of a major week of U.S. technology earnings has also helped frame the market open, with local investors balancing geopolitical risk, offshore equity leads, commodity prices, and central-bank signals.

U.S. indexes last closed in a range between a 0.5% gain for the Dow Jones and a 0.6% decline for the Nasdaq Composite, although those figures were from Friday evening.

The major Wall Street earnings reports to watch this week are Microsoft and Meta on Wednesday, Australian time, followed by Apple and Amazon a day later. Apple is currently the world’s most valuable listed company. The results matter for global risk appetite because large U.S. technology companies have been a major driver of index performance, and their outlooks can influence sentiment beyond the U.S. market.

Economic data will also be in focus through Week 31, including CPI on Wednesday. Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock is scheduled to speak at a fundraiser this week, with markets watching for any clues on interest rates ahead of the RBA’s August meeting. The U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision on Wednesday, U.S. time, is also expected to be closely watched before the RBA meeting, as shifts in U.S. rate expectations can affect currencies, bond yields, and the relative appeal of risk assets.

In Australia, the domestic reporting season begins unofficially this week, with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) due to update shareholders early Wednesday.

Resource-sector quarterly reports are also continuing. Stanmore (ASX:SMR) reports today, followed tomorrow by Aeris (ASX:AIS), Genesis (ASX:GMD), IGO (ASX:IGO), Iluka (ASX:ILU), and Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC). Later in the week, updates are expected from companies including Liontown (ASX:LTR), MinRes (ASX:MIN), Woodside (ASX:WDS), Boss (ASX:BOE), PLS (ASX:PLS), Strike (ASX:STX), Origin (ASX:ORG), and Fortescue (ASX:FMG). These updates will give investors fresh detail on production, costs, and demand conditions across bulk commodities, energy, lithium, uranium, and base metals.

Elsewhere, Vulcan Energy (ASX:VUL) has started civil construction at the 30-megawatt geothermal power plant for its Lionheart project in Germany. The company is also scheduled to join the Australian reporting rush on Thursday.

Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC) has signed a $29 million partnership with South Korea’s LS Eco Energy to work on processing outside China. Talga Group (ASX:TLG) has also signed an offtake agreement with Japan’s Hanwa. The agreements sit within a broader push by customers and governments to diversify critical minerals supply chains, particularly in materials used in advanced manufacturing and energy technologies.

In foreign exchange, the Australian dollar is buying US 69.9c today.

In commodities, priced in U.S. dollars, Brent crude has fallen 7.3% to $91.15 a barrel. Iron ore is entering Week 31 largely flat at $98.10 a tonne in Singapore. Gold is trading at $4,091 an ounce, while U.S. natural gas futures are lower at $2.80 per gigajoule. Commodity prices remain an important backdrop for the Australian market because resources and energy companies make up a significant part of the local index.

The material in this article is provided for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult a certified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.