FEAR & GREED | Business News Afternoon Report | ASX slips on tariff uncertainty
Feb 23, 2026
Markets slip after news of a proposed 15% global tariff and the sectors feeling the impact. Gold and miners rally as investors seek safe havens amid policy uncertainty. Debate heats up over carbon import charges and accusations of political hypocrisy. A royal commission into a Bondi Beach attack begins public hearings. A shooting at Mar-a-Lago draws federal investigation.
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ASX Drops On Tariff Uncertainty
- The ASX 200 fell 0.6% to 9,026 after Donald Trump signalled a new 15% global tariff, showing markets reacted to trade-policy uncertainty.
- Tech stocks led the drop with WiseTech and TechnologyOne down over 5%, while gold and miners outperformed as safe havens.
Australia Considers Carbon Border Charge
- Australia is weighing a carbon border adjustment for emissions‑intensive imports like steel, cement and fertiliser to protect local industry.
- The proposal contrasts with the government's lobbying the US for an exemption from Trump's tariff, prompting opposition accusations of hypocrisy.
Royal Commission Into Bondi Massacre Starts
- The Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach Massacre begins public hearings, examining anti‑Semitism, radicalisation, intelligence failures and government warnings.
- Former High Court Judge Virginia Bell will outline procedures, meet survivors, and deliver a final report by mid‑December.