It’s been a lack lustre session for the local share market, opening in the red and continuing to track sideways before closing 0.25 per cent lower. Gains in the energy space today were not enough to offset losses in materials and healthcare stocks which proved to be the biggest drag on the local bourse today.
The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 13 points lower to finish at 5,359.
The value of trades was $5.4 billion on volume of 770 million shares at the close of trade. The top three stocks by value were Commonwealth Bank of Australia
(ASX:CBA), Westpac Banking Corporation
(ASX:WBC) and ANZ Banking Group
(ASX:ANZ).
On the futures market the SPI is down 3 points.
Company news Ardent Leisure
(ASX:AAD) says it wants to provide clarification to investors concerning the sale of the d’Albora Marinas portfolio. The company says the board is determined that a sale process would not be undertaken until certain capital improvements had been carried out and lease tenure maximized. Shares in Ardent Leisure closed 1.76 per cent higher at $2.31.
Myer Holdings Limited
(ASX:MYR) had announced a 2.1 percent lift in total sales to $675.5 million for the 13 weeks to 23 April 2016.
CSL Limited
(ASX:CSL) says the European Commission has approved IDELVION for the treatment of patients with haemophilia B.
Xero Limited
(ASX:XRO) recorded a net loss of NZD$82.5 million in the 12 months to 31 March 2016.
Best and worst performers
The best performing sector was Energy adding 3 per cent to close at 8,091. The worst performing sector was Utilities, losing 1.65 per cent to close at 7,233 points.
The best performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was Aristocrat, rising 10.49 per cent to close at $11.59. Shares in Fairfax and Credit Corp also closed higher.
The worst performing stock was AMP, dropping 5.33 per cent to close at $5.51. Shares in Cochlear and Mesoblast also closed lower.
Commodities and the dollar
Gold is trading at $US1,272 an ounce.
Light crude is $1.73 higher at $US47.01 a barrel.
The Australian dollar is buying $US0.7335.
