Utilities stocks climbed almost 1% at midday Wednesday. Investors expect the US Federal Reserve to announce a 25-basis-point rate cut in its monetary policy decision this week.

Carnegie Clean Energy (ASX:CCE), the shares of which jumped over 38%, replied to a price query letter from the Australian Securities Exchange, saying that it was not aware of any information that had not been announced, which, if known, could be an explanation for the recent trading in its securities. It noted that it is currently investigating wave energy opportunities for its CETO technology in North American waters.

Meanwhile, the real estate sector fell more than 1%. On Wall Street, the S&P500 and Nasdaq indices fell 0.1%, while the Dow Jones index ended 0.3% lower.

GPT Group (ASX:GPT) named former Citigroup Australia Chair of Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory for Australia and New Zealand, Tony Osmond, as an independent non-executive director, effective March 1, 2026.