The Australian sharemarket had its most significant decline in two months, with the ASX 200 sliding by 1.95% after Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell flagged that aggressive rate hikes would need to continue in coming months and would lift at a ‘forceful and rapid’ pace. The a2 Milk Company (A2M) was one of just four companies to finish higher on the ASX 200, following double-digit growth in annual revenue and profit. Fortescue Metals fell by close to 5% after handing down lower revenue, profit and dividend for the year due mainly to higher costs and lower iron ore prices.

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