Key Points
- Australian stocks gained 0.02%, driven by strength in Consumer Discretionary, Telecom Services, and Healthcare sectors.
- Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. (ASX:PBH), Goodman Group (ASX:GMG), and Breville Group Ltd. (ASX:BRG) were among the top performers.
- Platinum Asset Management Ltd. (ASX:PTM), Resolute Mining Ltd. (ASX:RSG), and Beach Energy Ltd. (ASX:BPT) were among the worst performers.
- 647 stocks declined, 414 advanced, and 394 remained unchanged on the Sydney Stock Exchange. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX rose 2.28%.
Australian stocks finished marginally higher on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 inching up 0.025% or 2.10 to 8,423.00 by the end of the trading session. Gains in the Consumer Discretionary, Telecom Services, and Healthcare sectors provided a lift, although overall market sentiment was mixed.
Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. (ASX:PBH) led the session’s gains, rising 6.25% or 0.06 to close at 1.02. Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) followed with a 3.36% increase, adding 1.23 to finish at 37.80. Breville Group Ltd. (ASX:BRG) also performed strongly, climbing 2.91% or 1.05 to an all-time high of 37.11.
On the downside, Platinum Asset Management Ltd. (ASX:PTM) was the session’s worst performer, plummeting 14.35% or 0.15 to an all-time low of 0.90. Resolute Mining Ltd. (ASX:RSG) fell 5.81% or 0.025 to close at 0.40, while Beach Energy Ltd. (ASX:BPT) dropped 4.21% or 0.055 to finish at 1.25.
Market breadth reflected the mixed trading environment, with 647 stocks declining, 414 advancing, and 394 remaining unchanged on the Sydney Stock Exchange. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX tracks implied market volatility, rose 2.28% or 0.23 to 10.36, indicating slightly heightened uncertainty.
In commodities, gold futures for February delivery dipped 0.02% or 0.41 to $2,659.19 per troy ounce. Meanwhile, crude oil prices saw modest gains, with the January contract rising 0.51% or 0.34 to $67.54 a barrel. The February Brent oil contract followed suit, increasing 0.45% or 0.32 to settle at $71.44 a barrel, reflecting steady demand in the energy market.
Currency movements showed minimal change, with AUD/USD holding steady at 0.64, reflecting a 0.13% gain. However, AUD/JPY declined by 0.21% to 95.66. The US Dollar Index Futures increased by 0.14%, ending at 105.88, underscoring the dollar’s ongoing strength in global currency markets.
