Key Points:
- The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia gained 1.07%, reaching a new all-time high, driven by the Financials, Healthcare, and Consumer Staples sectors.
- The Sydney Stock Exchange witnessed more rising stocks than declining ones, with a notable difference of 648 to 513, while 347 stocks remained unchanged.
- Virgin Money PLC (ASX:VUK) and Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) reached 52-week highs, showcasing their robust performance during the session.
- The S&P/ASX 200 VIX increased by 3.93% to 11.35, reflecting some level of volatility in the market.
Australia’s stock market experienced a surge, with the S&P/ASX 200 gaining 1.07%, reaching 7,847.00, a new all-time high at the close on Friday. Robust performances led to positive momentum in the financial, healthcare, and consumer staples sectors.
Virgin Money PLC (ASX:VUK) stood out as the top performer, surging by an impressive 32.74% or 1.01 points to trade at 4.08 at the session’s close. Similarly, Alumina Ltd (ASX:AWC) recorded a notable gain of 5.17%, adding 0.06 points to finish at 1.22, while Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) experienced a positive movement of 4.37%, closing at 2.39 with a gain of 0.10 points.
On the flip side, some stocks faced declines during the session. Mesoblast Ltd (ASX:MSB) saw a decrease of 7.35%, falling by 0.03 points to trade at 0.32 at the close. Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) and Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX:GOR) also experienced declines of 1.93% and 2.42%, respectively, ending at 2.03 and 1.62.
The Sydney Stock Exchange witnessed more rising stocks than declining ones, with a notable difference of 648 to 513, while 347 stocks remained unchanged. Virgin Money PLC (ASX:VUK) and Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) reached 52-week highs, showcasing their robust performance during the session. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, measuring the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, increased by 3.93% to 11.35, reflecting some level of volatility in the market.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for April delivery experienced a slight decline of 0.06%, amounting to 1.35, reaching $2,163.85 per troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in April rose by 0.72% or 0.57, hitting $79.50 per barrel. The May Brent oil contract also showed a modest increase of 0.18%, closing at $83.42 per barrel.
Currency markets remained relatively stable, with AUD/USD experiencing a marginal change of 0.20% to 0.66. On the other hand, AUD/JPY saw a slight decline of 0.01% to 98.00. The US Dollar Index Futures exhibited a minor decrease of 0.02%, closing at 102.75.
