The Aussie market ended October on a flat and uninspired note, slipping by around four points on Friday to mark a fourth straight day of losses. That left the ASX 200 down roughly 1.4% for the week — its worst since April — as investors digested hotter-than-expected inflation data and reassessed expectations for future rate cuts. Despite the late-month pullback, the index still managed a 0.4% gain for October overall. Energy and materials helped limit losses, while consumer discretionary and utilities weighed most heavily, with Wesfarmers and Origin Energy both under pressure. Resmed was among the day’s bright spots, lifting after a solid quarterly update. Looking ahead, attention turns to the RBA’s rate decision on Melbourne Cup Day, US inflation data tonight, and next week’s bank earnings from Westpac, NAB, and Macquarie.

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