Australia's Share Market Edges Lower Despite BHP and Healthcare Gains

The Australian share market ended Tuesday's session slightly lower, despite strong performances from BHP and healthcare stocks that helped counterbalance broader market losses.

BHP shares surged to $64.24 after a $US9.8 billion annual post-tax net profit, but the materials sector as a whole was under pressure due to soft economic data from China and higher oil prices.

The healthcare sector experienced a nearly eight percent rebound thanks to double-digit share price gains in CSL and Pro Medicus, which helped drive the sector's recovery after it had tumbled by more than half since roughly a year earlier.

Ig market analyst Tony Sycamore noted that the bottom may finally be behind healthcare stocks, but expressed concerns about China's property market, saying 'I just don't know when this rout finishes.' The market nearly broke a four-day losing streak but ultimately fell into the red at session close.