**Good Morning! Here’s What You Need to Know Before the ASX Opens – Tuesday, August 26, 2025**

Welcome to your Tuesday morning market update. Here’s a quick and simple breakdown of what happened overnight and what to watch for today on the ASX.

**ASX Set for a Soft Start**

As of 7AM, ASX futures were down 0.3%, suggesting we’re in for a slow start to the trading day. Not the worst news, but certainly not a green light either.

**Wall Street Slides After Fed Buzz Fades**

Overnight in the US, markets lost some steam:

– The Dow Jones dropped 0.77%
– The S&P 500 slipped 0.43%
– The Nasdaq edged lower by 0.22%

Investors seemed to cool off after riding high on US Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s weekend comments. The excitement around his remarks didn’t last long.

**Nvidia Rebounds Ahead of Results**

Nvidia shares rose around 2% as investors bet big ahead of its earnings report on Wednesday. The tech giant is seen as a key player in the AI boom, and expectations are sky-high. If the numbers disappoint, the entire AI sector could take a hit.

**Intel Deal Sparks Debate**

In a surprise move, the US government bought just under 10% of Intel shares. Some experts, like former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, criticized the move as political deal-making rather than fair-market capitalism. Meanwhile, Donald Trump took credit for the deal and said he’d love to make more like it.

**Iron Ore Prices Jump on Rio Tinto Shutdown**

Iron ore prices spiked after mining giant Rio Tinto halted operations at its Simandou project in Guinea due to a fatal accident. This site is one of the biggest new iron ore sources in the world, so any delay impacts global supply and prices fast.

This latest incident adds to a troubling trend — Rio Tinto has now recorded seven deaths across its operations in just two years.

**Crypto Cools Down Again**

Bitcoin and Ethereum gave back most of their recent gains:

– Bitcoin fell over 3%
– More than $4 million in leveraged crypto trades were wiped out in just a few hours

It’s another reminder that while crypto can soar quickly, it can just as easily crash — often leaving investors feeling seasick.

**Local Earnings: G8 Education & Coles Report Today**

Back home, G8 Education and Coles are set to release their results today. Woolworths follows tomorrow. This is the final week of earnings season, and based on recent surprises, expect more ups and downs.

**RBA Minutes Due Today**

The Reserve Bank of Australia will release minutes from its August meeting today. Investors and analysts will be watching closely for clues on whether the RBA is leaning more dovish (less likely to raise rates) or hawkish (more likely to raise rates).

**Other Market Movers: Commodities, Forex & Crypto**

Keep an eye on commodity prices and currency movements today as they continue to respond to global events — from mining disruptions to central bank commentary.

**Trending Stories Right Now**

– A price floor might boost interest in rare earth elements.
– ASX junior miners are looking at old mines to dig up new gold.
– BHP is showing renewed interest in uranium, according to its latest outlook.
– Glove maker Ansell sees prices rise after Trump’s tariffs shake up supply chains.

**Trading Halts on ASX Today**

Several companies are on a temporary trading pause due to capital raises or other strategic moves:

– Basin Energy (ASX: BSN)
– Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX)
– Catalyst Metals (ASX: CYL)
– Nimy Resources (ASX: NIM)
– OMG Group (ASX: OMG)
– Provaris Energy (ASX: PV1)
– Pure Hydrogen (ASX: PH2)
– Savannah Goldfields (ASX: SGC)
– Victory Metals (ASX: VTM)

Keep these names on your radar — halts often signal big changes or announcements.

That’s your quick-fire update for this Tuesday morning. Stay tuned for more as markets open and earnings keep rolling in!