Sydney, Australia – The Australian stock market closed on a lower note at the end of Friday’s session, with the S&P/ASX 200 down by 0.20%. The decline was primarily attributed to losses in the Information Technology (IT), Consumer Staples, and Consumer Discretionary sectors.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 recorded a loss of 0.20%.
Top Performers on S&P/ASX 200
Despite the overall decline, certain stocks displayed notable gains during the session. Perenti Global Ltd (ASX:PRN) emerged as a top performer, rising by 6.67%, or 0.07 points, to trade at 1.12 at the close. Iress Ltd (ASX:IRE) also demonstrated strength, adding 4.27%, or 0.30 points, to end at 7.33. Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX:PBH) experienced positive momentum, up by 4.00%, or 0.03 points, concluding at 0.78 in late trade.
Worst Performers on S&P/ASX 200
Conversely, certain stocks faced declines during the session. Nanosonics Ltd (ASX:NAN) was among the worst performers, experiencing a fall of 5.31%, or 0.23 points, to trade at 4.10 at the close. Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) witnessed a decline of 4.80%, or 0.03 points, concluding at 0.59. Omni Bridgeway Ltd (ASX:OBL) also faced a downturn, down 4.52%, or 0.07 points, closing at 1.48.
Market Dynamics
The Sydney Stock Exchange saw more falling stocks compared to advancing ones, with 617 stocks declining, 561 advancing, and 373 ending unchanged.
Market Volatility and Commodities
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, reflecting the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, experienced a slight increase of 0.24%, reaching 9.69.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for December delivery rose by 0.15%, or 3.10, to $2,041.20 a troy ounce. Crude oil for January delivery inched up by 0.13%, or 0.10, to hit $76.06 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell by 0.09%, or 0.07, trading at $80.79 a barrel.
Currency Movement
In currency markets, AUD/USD remained unchanged, up 0.06%, at 0.66, while AUD/JPY fell by 0.04% to 97.87. The US Dollar Index Futures experienced a decrease of 0.14%, settling at 103.28.