AU Evening Wrap: Australian Shares Close Steady as Financials and Real Estate Stocks Rise
Market Performance
Australia's benchmark index, $S&P/ASX 200 (.XJO.AU)$, closed steady at 7769.4 on Thursday, as gains in financial and real estate stocks offset losses in other sectors. With no cues from the US, where markets remained shut for a public holiday, the index traded within a narrow range of less than 20 points. It appeared to be heading for a second consecutive decline until it surged towards the end of the day.
Notably, $CommBank (CBA.AU)$ closed just shy of a record high. Banks $National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB.AU)$, $ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ANZ.AU)$, $Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AU)$ and $Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AU)$ gained between 0.1% and 0.6%, while the real estate sector added 0.5%.
The materials sector remained unchanged, continuing to stabilize following a series of losses earlier in the month.
Among the 11 sectors of the ASX 200, health was the worst performer, dropping 1.0%, as $CSL Ltd (CSL.AU)$, $ResMed Inc (RMD.AU)$, and $Cochlear Ltd (COH.AU)$ all witnessed a decline.
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Source: Dow Jones Newswires, AFR, ASX
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