Australian shares declined on Tuesday as investors awaited details from the federal budget and awaited key inflation data from the US.

Australian shares opened slightly lower as investors awaited the federal budget and US inflation data, mirroring subdued Wall Street performance. At 11:30am, the S&P/ASX 200 is 0.27 per cent lower at 7,729.20.

On Monday, the sharemarket closed with minimal change as gains in consumer stocks counterbalanced losses in energy, setting a cautious tone ahead of the federal budget that could influence the Reserve Bank's stance on maintaining high interest rates amidst inflation concerns.

The Australian sharemarket edged downwards, primarily driven by losses in financials, anticipating a federal budget presentation by Treasurer Jim Chalmers from the Labor government, expected to offer cost-of-living relief to households amidst a focus on maintaining high interest rates by the Reserve Bank in the fight against inflation, alongside a projected consecutive surplus.

On Friday, Australian shares opened higher, mirroring a positive trend on Wall Street fueled by reinforced expectations of interest rate cuts in the US.

Investor concerns over rising living costs and their potential impact on retail sales and bank lending drove accelerated selling in Australian shares, leading to a 1.1% decline in the S&P/ASX 200 to 7721.6 points.

Australian shares opened lower by 0.4% due to Commonwealth Bank's decreased quarterly profit, leading to selling pressure on financial stocks, while multiple retailers also declined on reports of reduced consumer spending amidst rising living costs. At 11:30am, the S&P/ASX 200 is 0.75 per cent lower at 7,745.90.

On Wednesday, gains in the tech and property sectors were counterbalanced by declines in the mining sector, following a 1.4 per cent increase in shares on Tuesday, prompted by the Reserve Bank's decision to maintain interest rates and indicate data-dependent rate adjustments.

Australian shares continued their upward trend, gaining 0.3% at the opening following the Reserve Bank's decision to maintain interest rates and emphasise data dependency for future adjustments.

The Australian sharemarket surged by 1.4 percent following the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to maintain the cash rate, resulting in gains across all 11 sectors, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index climbing to 7793.3 points at closing.

The Australian sharemarket opened higher, mirroring a surge in New York driven by anticipation of potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

The Australian sharemarket saw a 0.7% increase in the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index on Monday, primarily driven by gains in interest rate sensitive sectors such as real estate and information technology ahead of the Reserve Bank's expected decision to maintain the cash rate.

The Australian sharemarket surged at opening due to a weaker-than-expected US jobs report, suggesting potential interest rate cuts in the US. At 11:30am, the S&P/ASX 200 is 0.54 per cent higher at 7,670.3.

The Australian sharemarket began on a positive note amidst concerns of prolonged higher interest rates, with Apple's stock surging over 7% in after-hours trading and local tech companies such as Pro Medicus reaching record highs.

At the closing bell, the S&P/ASX 200 was 0.23 per cent higher at 7,587, led by gains in the financial sector, as National Australia Bank exceeded analysts' expectations with a $3.55 billion cash profit, while US markets remained mixed following the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain interest rates and Chairman Powell's indication of unlikely further rate hikes.

Australian shares showed resilience, edging higher on Thursday morning despite concerns about prolonged higher interest rates, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 0.2%.

On Wednesday, the Australian sharemarket experienced a decline, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index dropping by 1.2 per cent, or 94.2 points, to 7569.9 points at the close.

Australian shares closed higher on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 advancing 0.4% to 7664.1 points, supported by gains in lithium miners, while investors exercised caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting for insights into interest rates amidst persistent inflation concerns.

Australian retail sales unexpectedly declined by 0.4% in March, influenced by high interest rates impacting consumer spending, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Australia's stock market rebounded on Monday, recovering from a previous decline, amid uncertainty surrounding interest rates in both Australia and the US.

The Australian sharemarket surged at the opening bell, buoyed by a robust performance on Wall Street, with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 0.7% to 7632 within the first 10 minutes of trading, partially offsetting Friday's 1.4% decline.