Staff writers

Updated April 24, 2026 — 5:35pm , first published April 24, 2026 — 1:18am

The Australian sharemarket has ended the week lower as uncertainty over the war in the Middle East continues to cast a shadow over markets.

The S&P/ASX 200 edged down 6.9 points to close at 8786.50 on Friday, with five of 11 industry sectors in negative territory, capping off a week in which the market has lost ground. Overnight, US stocks pulled back from record highs following mixed profit reports from Tesla and other big companies.

Oil prices, meanwhile, rose on worries about what will happen next in the war with Iran. A ceasefire is still in place between the United States and Iran, but oil tankers in the Persian Gulf aren’t able to get through the narrow waterway off Iran’s coast and deliver crude to customers.…