Aussie stocks stalled today, drifting lower for a third session as global uncertainty took hold. Despite an early climb, the index succumbed to a late fade, echoing a weak Wall Street lead where the S&P 500 slumped on AI disruption fears and the official start of President Trump’s trade tariffs. A 10% levy on all global imports took effect this afternoon. Energy and Materials sectors provided the only sparks, with the latter hitting a record high as BHP cracked a fresh peak. Lithium miners Liontown and Pilbara Minerals also surged following a price rebound. In reporting news, Viva Energy and Woodside jumped after beating expectations, but Adore Beauty plummeted 28% as deep discounting savaged margins.

Steve Daghlian and Laura Besarati are Market Analysts at CommSec. Each episode, they break down the day's market movements and explain what the numbers really mean.

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