Australian shares finished a volatile week slightly lower, with oil prices, rising bond yields and interest-rate expectations weighing on the broader market. Beneath the headline indices, however, smaller companies and gold producers recorded stronger performances.

Australian shares posted a second consecutive gain on Thursday, although a strong opening rally faded as investors weighed the prospect of further interest-rate increases.

Australian shares regained some ground on Wednesday, but the recovery now faces an overnight test from US consumer spending figures, inflation indicators and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision.

The Australian market finished Tuesday at a three-month low, with the ASX 200 falling 80.5 points, or 0.92%, to 8,669.40 as selling across banks and resources outweighed buying in healthcare and technology.

Brent crude is back above US$100 a barrel. What is driving it, what could reverse it, and how the ASX oil names differ by stage, from producers to explorers.

Copper has pushed into record territory above US$14,700 a tonne, driven by mine-supply problems, tariff-related stockpiling and rapidly growing electricity demand. We examine what is behind the copper price rally, whether it can last and which ASX copper stocks provide investors with exposure.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is transforming the Kingdom into one of the world’s emerging mineral exploration destinations, and Australian companies are increasingly becoming part of that transformation.

Almasar Minerals’ ASX debut puts a fresh spotlight on Saudi Arabia’s push to attract international mining capital. With the IPO now completed and funding secured, the focus shifts to how effectively the company can convert its Arabian Shield tenure into drill-ready targets and, ultimately, discoveries.

Kaiser Reef Limited (ASX: KAU) has completed a close-spaced helicopter magnetic and radiometric survey over its Maldon Gold Project in Victoria, adding a new layer of high-resolution geophysical data to the company's district-scale exploration program.

The Canadian explorer arrived on the ASX with a funded drilling program, an unusually large conceptual Exploration Target and a market reception that lifted the company’s implied equity value by approximately A$141 million in its first three trading sessions.