AU Evening Wrap: ASX Ends Lower as BHP, Woodside Fall

The $S&P/ASX 200 (.XJO.AU)$ closed 44.2 points, or 0.6 per cent lower at 7165.5. The All Ordinaries was down by a similar margin.

The energy and materials sectors were the worst hit, with heavyweights $BHP Group Ltd (BHP.AU)$ and $Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS.AU)$ falling more than 1.5 per cent during trading.

Shares in $Qantas Airways Ltd (QAN.AU)$ dipped 2.2 per cent late in the session, following news the airline paid former CEO Alan Joyce a $21.4 million salary in FY23, but is holding back a portion of that pay while its ACCC case is finalised.

Sports and outdoor goods seller $KMD Brands Ltd (KMD.AU)$ dropped 4.6 per cent lower after flagging cost-of-living pressures on its Kathmandu brand in its most recent full-year report.

$Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (FLT.AU)$, which trades ex-dividend as of today, fell 1.2 per cent.

Shares in buy-now-pay-later player $Sezzle Inc (SZL.AU)$ soared 20.8 per cent, following reports of strong income in August.

Meanwhile, outgoing $Transurban Group (TCL.AU)$ CEO Scott Charlton has been appointed as the incoming CEO of Sydney Airport. He will start his new role at Sydney Airport on December 1. Shares eased 0.4 per cent.

Scrap metal company $Sims Ltd (SGM.AU)$ gained 1.7 per cent after finalising the terms to sell its 50 per cent stake in LMS Energy, a bioenergy and methane abatement company. The sale, which was first revealed in March, is valued at $272.1 million and is expected to finalise in the second quarter of FY24.

$Alligator Energy Ltd (AGE.AU)$ shed 20.6 per cent, following a $25.5 million equity raise by the uranium junior.