The Australian sharemarket has ended the week in the red as investors pressed pause on gold and the iron ore miners lost their mojo on the back of signs of a stalemate between BHP and China in their pricing dispute.

The S&P/ASX 200 closed 11.5 points, or 0.13 per cent, weaker at 8958.3, in a choppy session after US stocks and the price of gold pulled back from record highs. The Aussie dollar edged up 0.2 per cent to US65.69¢.

While the iron ore miners scored gains on Thursday, the mining sector was the biggest weight on the local bourse on Friday.

Iron ore heavyweight BHP fell 2.1 per cent amid speculation that its stand-off with China’s state-run iron ore buyer risks dragging on for months, and even into early 2026, as both sides remain locked in stalemate. Fortescue Metals dropped 1

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