Key Points
- The S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.08% higher, led by A-REITs, IT, and Industrials.
- Among the top performers were Insignia Financial Ltd. (ASX:IFL), Appen Ltd. (ASX:APX), and Ramelius Resources Ltd. (ASX:RMS).
- Mesoblast Ltd. (ASX:MSB), St Barbara Ltd. (ASX:SBM), and Megaport Ltd. (ASX:MP1) were among the worst performers.
- Declining stocks outpaced advancing ones, with 615 falling compared to 460 gaining, while 462 remained unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX rose 2.08%.
Australian stocks closed slightly higher on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 inching up 0.084% or 6.90 to 8,257.40. Gains in the A-REITs, IT, and industrial sectors supported the market.
Insignia Financial Ltd. (ASX:IFL) led the session, reaching a three-year high with a gain of 14.69% or 0.52 to 4.06 AUD. Appen Ltd. (ASX:APX) followed with a 6.14% or 0.17 rise to close at 2.94 AUD, hitting a 52-week high, while Ramelius Resources Ltd. (ASX:RMS) added 3.32% or 0.07 to finish at 2.18 AUD.
However, not all sectors performed well. St Barbara Ltd. (ASX:SBM) declined 4.08% or 0.01 to 0.24 AUD. Mesoblast Ltd. (ASX:MSB) slid 3.79% or 0.12 to 3.05 AUD, and Megaport Ltd. (ASX:MP1) dropped 3.52% or 0.26 to 7.13 AUD.
Across the Sydney Stock Exchange, declining stocks outpaced advancing ones, with 615 falling compared to 460 gaining, while 462 remained unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, a key market volatility indicator, rose 2.08% or 0.23 to 11.02, reflecting a cautious sentiment among investors.
In the commodities market, Gold Futures for February delivery fell 0.39% to $2,644.41 per troy ounce. Crude oil prices also declined, with February delivery contracts dropping 0.46% to $73.62 per barrel and March Brent oil contracts decreasing by 0.44% to trade at $76.17 per barrel.
Currency markets showed modest movements. The Australian dollar remained steady against the US dollar, with the AUD/USD pair unchanged at 0.62. The Australian dollar gained 0.60% in trade compared to the Japanese yen, at 98.30. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index Futures fell slightly by 0.09% to 108.70, indicating a marginal greenback weakening against a basket of major currencies.
Overall, Australian equities displayed a mixed performance. Certain sectors and stocks posted notable gains, while others faced pressure. The market sentiment reflected caution as commodity prices dipped and volatility indicators ticked higher.
