Australia's S&P/ASX 200 closed down 30.20 points, or 0.33%, at 9,233.40 on Monday, Aug 10.

Mahdi Tabatabai, deputy director of the presidential office for news and communications, said on the 9th that Mohsen Rezaei was appointed secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

Westpac expects the RBA to keep the cash rate at 4.35% in August after Q2 headline and trimmed-mean CPI printed below forecasts, a call consistent with Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Westpac says the RBA board will remain hawkish. Both banks note pass-through from Middle East-related energy costs to consumer prices has not persisted in recent months; June inflation showed higher input costs did not broadly reach consumers. They expect the RBA to retain hawkish wording even if it holds rates, so a mere pause may have limited impact on the AUD — market focus will be whether the board shifts clearly dovish or keeps a cautious tone.