Australian stocks closed in positive territory on Friday, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 advancing 0.25% to record a new all-time high at the Sydney close. Gains were concentrated in the Gold, Utilities and Telecoms Services sectors, which collectively helped push the index higher by the end of the trading session.
Among individual names, Block Inc (ASX:XYZ) was the session's strongest performer, finishing up 28.28% or 20.83 points to close at 94.48. Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX:ILU) rose 9.29% or 0.57 points to finish at 6.76, while Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:LYC) gained 9.22% or 1.59 points to end the day at 18.83.
On the downside, Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX:HVN) posted the largest decline, slipping 8.93% or 0.57 points to close at 5.76. Mesoblast Ltd (ASX:MSB) fell 7.44% or 0.18 points to 2.24, and Coles Group Ltd (ASX:COL) declined 6.67% or 1.48 points to finish at 20.71.
Market breadth at the close showed more advancing issues than decliners, with 643 stocks rising and 550 falling across the Sydney Stock Exchange, while 386 names finished unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which reflects the implied volatility of options on the S&P/ASX 200, moved lower by 2.33% to 11.29.
Commodities and currency moves were modest. Gold futures for April delivery increased 0.33%, gaining 17.24 to trade at 5,211.44 per troy ounce. In energy markets, April delivery crude oil rose 0.48% or 0.31 to reach 65.52 a barrel, and the May Brent contract was up 0.37% or 0.26 to trade at 71.10 a barrel.
In foreign exchange, AUD/USD was largely unchanged at 0.71, registering a 0.34% reading in the source data, while AUD/JPY edged up 0.06% to 111.09. The US Dollar Index Futures were reported down 0.13% at 97.61.
Key points
- The S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.25%, reaching a new record high at the Sydney session close.
- Top sector contributors to the advance included Gold, Utilities and Telecoms Services.
- Notable individual moves included strong gains for Block Inc (ASX:XYZ), Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC), and significant declines for Harvey Norman (ASX:HVN), Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) and Coles Group (ASX:COL).
Risks and uncertainties
- Large single-stock moves underline volatility at the individual-equity level, affecting sectors such as retail and mining where names like Harvey Norman and Iluka Resources operate.
- Although overall implied volatility eased, the S&P/ASX 200 VIX remains a gauge of options-market uncertainty that could change direction.
- Commodity price fluctuations, including in gold and crude oil, represent an uncertainty for resource-linked companies and sectors tied to commodities.