Key Points
- The Australian stock market’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.69%, led by declining energy, gold, and financial markets.
- EML Payments Ltd. (ASX:EML), Healius Ltd. (ASX:HLS), and Bluescope Steel Ltd. (ASX:BSL) were among the top performers.
- Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd. (ASX:SKC), Spark New Zealand Ltd. (ASX:SPK), and St Barbara Ltd. (ASX:SBM) were among the worst performers.
- Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones, with 605 losers compared to 468 gainers, while 400 stocks ended unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX rose 2.49%.
Australian stocks ended lower on Tuesday as declines in the Energy, Gold, and Financials sectors weighed on the market. The S&P/ASX 200 closed down 0.69% or 58.20 to 8,359.40, reflecting broad-based selling pressure across key sectors.
Despite the overall decline, a few stocks emerged as bright spots. EML Payments Ltd. (ASX:EML) soared 29.20% or 0.20, closing at 0.88 AUD after positive news on its restructuring efforts. Healius Ltd. (ASX:HLS) also gained 5.97% or 0.08, ending at 1.42 AUD, boosted by improved performance in its diagnostic services segment. Bluescope Steel Ltd. (ASX:BSL) added 5.55% or 1.18, finishing at 22.43 AUD, supported by robust demand in the steel sector.
On the downside, Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd. (ASX:SKC) led losses, plunging 2.90% or 0.04 to 1.34 AUD due to ongoing regulatory challenges. Spark New Zealand Ltd. (ASX:SPK) fell 5.11% or 0.14 to a five-year low of 2.60 AUD as investors reacted negatively to its subdued earnings outlook. Similarly, St Barbara Ltd. (ASX:SBM) dropped 4.29% or 0.015, closing at 0.34 AUD.
Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange, with 605 losers compared to 468 gainers, while 400 stocks ended unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, a measure of market volatility, rose 2.49% or 0.27 to 11.28, reflecting heightened uncertainty.
Gold Futures for February delivery increased by 0.15% in commodities, closing at $2,646.50 per troy ounce, signaling steady demand for the precious metal. Crude oil prices gained modestly, with January delivery rising 0.26% to $69.12 a barrel and Brent oil up 0.19% to $72.62 a barrel for February delivery.
The AUD/USD pair was steady in the currency market, gaining 0.17% to trade at 0.65, while the AUD/JPY slipped 0.61% to 99.67, reflecting mixed global sentiment. The US Dollar Index Futures rose 0.26% to 107.05, showing strength in the greenback.
