Text-only (non-video) report.The Australian sharemarket accelerated on momentum throughout the afternoon session, erasing records to wrap up trade at an all-time high and extending the positive run to three successive sessions. The ASX200 was only 2 points shy of hitting the 7400 mark for the first time ever.
Blue-chip stocks formed the backbone of the Monday’s broad-based rally, as all sectors closed in positive territory. Healthcare led the charge, as CSL
(ASX:CSL) and Resmed
(ASX:RMD) rose 1.9 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively by the end of trade.
Gold miners bucked the upward trend due to a decline in gold prices, as Evolution Mining
(ASX:EVN) and Newcrest Mining (NCM) shed 1.2 and 1.8 per cent respectively by 4pm.
At the closing bell, the S&P/ASX 200 was 0.92 per cent or 67.20 points higher at 7379.50.
Futures
The Dow Jones futures are pointing to a rise of 41.00 points.
The S&P 500 futures are pointing to a rise of 8.75 points.
The Nasdaq futures are pointing to a rise of 18.00 points.
The SPI futures are pointing to a rise of 22 points when the market next opens.
Best and worst performers
The best-performing sector was Health Care, up 1.96 per cent. The sector with the fewest gains was Utilities, up 0.00 per cent.
The best-performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was ResMed (ASX:RMD), closing 6.84 per cent higher at $30.31. It was followed by shares in The A2 Milk Company (ASX:A2M) and Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU).
The worst-performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was Austal (ASX:ASB), closing 9.01 per cent lower at $2.12. It was followed by shares in PointsBet Holdings (ASX:PBH) and Nickel Mines (ASX:NIC).
Asian markets
Japan's Nikkei has gained 0.96 per cent.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng has lost 0.65 per cent.
China's Shanghai Composite has lost 0.82 per cent.
Commodities and the dollar
Gold is trading at US$1870.30 an ounce.
Iron ore is 0.70 per cent higher at US$220.77 a ton.
Iron ore futures are pointing to a rise of 0.65 per cent.
Light crude is trading $0.25 higher at US$71.13 a barrel.
One Australian dollar is buying 77.14 US cents.
