Feeling the Pressure of Rising Prices? Three Smart Strategies to Stay Ahead

Petrol prices are surging, groceries cost more than they did a year ago, childcare keeps rising, and electricity bills feel heavier every month. With war pushing energy markets around again, many people are asking the same question: What can I do to keep up with the rising costs?

Most households respond by tightening their budget and cutting back on expenses, but what if there’s a better way, one that doesn’t require you to be a professional investor? Sometimes it’s simply about recognising a few straightforward ideas and thinking a little differently about where your money sits.

Tip 1: Own a small piece of what’s driving inflation

Inflation often begins further up the economic chain. When oil, gas, metals and energy costs rise, those increases flow through almost everything we buy, from transport and groceries to electricity and manufacturing. Consumers feel it at the checkout, but the companies producing those inputs may experience the opposite effect, with profits rising.

That’s why energy and commodity producers often perform well when inflation runs hot. Instead of just paying higher prices at the petrol pump, some investors choose to own a small piece of the companies benefiting from these price increases. During the commodity boom between 2003 and 2008, oil prices surged, and energy companies significantly outperformed the broader market, so consider companies like Woodside Energy and Santos, as well as uranium producers such as Paladin Energy.

Tip 2: Look for businesses with pricing power

Most companies struggle when inflation rises because their costs increase faster than they can raise prices. But some businesses are in a very different position. Infrastructure companies, for example, often have contracts that allow them to increase prices automatically with inflation. Think toll roads, electricity networks or gas pipelines. When inflation rises, their revenue often does too.

Companies such as Transurban and APA Group operate assets where pricing can be linked directly to inflation or energy costs. Because these assets are already built and operating, rising revenue can translate into stronger cash flow relatively quickly.

Tip 3: Don’t fear volatility: it can create opportunity

Periods of geopolitical tension often make markets far more unpredictable. Wars, trade disputes and energy disruptions tend to push markets into waves of rallies and pullbacks. History shows this clearly. During events such as the Gulf and Iraq War and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, markets didn’t simply trend higher. They moved in sharp swings as investors tried to understand what was happening next.

For passive investors, that can feel uncomfortable, but for active investors and traders, volatility creates opportunity. When markets move in waves rather than straight lines, there can be repeated short-term opportunities across commodities, energy stocks, currencies and other assets.

The reality is that inflation may remain part of the economic landscape for some time yet, but instead of constantly feeling like you’re chasing rising prices, you can place yourself in a far more powerful position where those rising prices are working for you instead of against you.

What are the best and worst-performing sectors this week?

The best-performing sectors include Energy, up over 1 per cent, followed by Financials, down over 1 per cent and Consumer Discretionary, down over 2 per cent. The worst-performing sectors include Information Technology, down over 7 per cent, followed by Real Estate and Healthcare, both down over 4 per cent.

The best-performing stocks in the ASX top 100 include Lynas Rare Earths, up over 15 per cent, followed by Whitehaven Coal, up over 9 per cent, and Insurance Australia Group, up over 6 per cent. The worst-performing stocks include Orica Limited, down over 14 per cent, followed by Dyno Nobel Limited and Netwealth Group, both down over 12 per cent.

What's next for the Australian stock market?

The All-Ordinaries Index was lower again this week, finishing Thursday down 2.57 per cent. While we often focus on where the market closes for the week, the more interesting story this time wasn’t the close; it was where the price traded during the week and where it eventually found support.

Let’s go back to Monday, the 9th of March, which may end up being remembered as a significant day for the market. By the close, the index was down 2.88 per cent, but at one point it had fallen as much as 4.4 per cent. The sharp sell-off followed reports that the United States had struck Iran’s oil supply, sending oil prices surging roughly 20 per cent in a single day.

That move alone wiped out all the gains the market had made so far this year, pushing the index back to levels we haven’t seen since November 2025. On the surface, a move like that can feel alarming, especially when headlines start talking about billions being wiped from the market.

But here’s what really stood out to me. The market bounced around 8,650, an important level dating back to October 2024, when it marked the market’s all-time high. What we’re seeing now is that this level is acting as support.

This is where technical analysis becomes incredibly valuable, because it helps cut through the noise and emotion that comes with dramatic headlines. While the news flow might suggest everything is falling apart, the chart is quietly telling us that the market is still respecting a key technical level.

For me, the 8,650 level is now the line in the sand. As long as the price continues to hold above this level, the broader market structure remains intact. If we do see a break below it in the coming weeks, the next logical support level would likely sit closer to 8,300.

That said, this isn’t my preferred scenario at this stage. Seasonally, March tends to be a relatively strong month for the market, and April is historically the second-bullish month of the year. Because of that, there’s still a reasonable chance the market stabilises and begins to recover.

On the upside, the key level to watch is now 9,000 points. If the market can push back above that level, it would suggest buyers are stepping back in, and the broader bullish momentum may resume. The challenge is that 9,000 has now become a well-established resistance level, so it’s unlikely to break without a bit of a fight.

For now, the market may trade within a range as investors digest the latest geopolitical developments and the implications for global energy prices. But importantly, despite the volatility, the market is not in freefall, and in times like these, that’s very good news.

For now, good luck and good trading.

Dale Gillham is the Chief Analyst at Wealth Within and the international bestselling author of How to Beat the Managed Funds by 20%. He is also the author of the award-winning book Accelerate Your Wealth—It’s Your Money, Your Choice, which is available in all good bookstores and online.

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