ASX 200 declines amid global uncertainty, led by Ansell and Liontown, while gold miners offer some gains.

The Australian stock market experienced a significant decline today, with the S&P/ASX 200 index falling 87.70 points (1.11%) to 7,846.80. Most sectors recorded losses, while consumer staples were the only to gain.

Declines have been linked to the recent reciprocal tariff announcement from United States President Donald Trump.

In the past week, the index has decreased by 1.53%, and over the last year, it has seen a decline of 0.83%.

Ansell Limited and Liontown Resources were the main contributors to the market’s drop. Ansell fell 15.77% to $28.87, with a notable increase in trading volume, indicating strong selling pressure. Liontown decreased 8.93% to $0.51 due to concerns about the mining sector.

Other notable decliners included Netwealth Group Limited, down 8.15% to $24.11; Capstone Copper Corp, down 7.25% to $7.68; and Digico Infrastructure REIT, down 6.76% to $2.83.

Conversely, gold mining stocks performed well, with Ramelius Resources leading the gains, up 4.78% to $2.41. Other gainers included Spartan Resources, De Grey Mining, Westgold Resources, and Region Group.

Many stocks experienced high trading volumes, particularly Ansell and Netwealth, which saw increases of 301% and 248%, respectively.

Most sectors were negative, with real estate down 2.14% and technology down 2.40%. Only consumer staples saw a slight increase.

Market sentiment is cautious as investors assess economic data and global events, potentially favouring defensive sectors moving forward.