Australian Shares Rise; Bravura Solutions Raises Fiscal 2026 Cash EBITDA Guidance

Australian shares advanced on Friday as investors digested the fallout from renewed clashes in the Middle East. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose by 0.5%, or 43.5 points, to close at 8,806. Overnight on Wall Street, the ​Nasdaq index closed sharply up at 1.3%, while the S&P 500 rose 0.8%. Brent crude oil futures were trading around $76 per barrel as the US and Iran traded strikes in renewed hostilities. Gold was trading around $4,113 per ounce, breaking a three-day losing streak. On the domestic front, A rapid acceleration of national rents in Australia is driving rental affordability limitations amid a severe supply deficit, Cotality said. While rental growth moderated slightly to a 1.6% increase in the June quarter, the annual pace of growth accelerated to 5.9% from 5.7% in the first three months of the year, bringing the median national dwelling rent to AU$705 per week. Australian utilities and agriculture are among the most exposed sectors if the El Niño climate phenomenon emerges, while thermal coal producers could be one of the few clear beneficiaries, Fitch Ratings said. In company news, Bravura Solutions (ASX:BVS) now expects fiscal 2026 cash earnings before interest,.