ASX holds onto gains, energy leads: Aus shares close 0.3% higher

Market Reports

by Lauren Evans

The Australian sharemarket finished the day in positive territory, despite opening lower this morning. While sectors were mixed, gains in energy, materials, Sydney Airport and Aristocrat led the rise. At the closing bell, the ASX/200 was 0.3 per cent or 19 points higher at 7,425.

Mining giants BHP (ASX:BHP) and Forstescue (ASX:FMG) dipped in the afternoon session, but still closed 0.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent higher.  Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) closed 7.3 per cent higher as the best-performing stock and Silver Lake Resources (ASX:SLR) closed 5.4 per cent higher. 

In headlines, Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) had a good day, closing 4.6 per cent higher, after receiving an upgraded takeover bid from Sydney Aviation Alliance. Qantas (ASX:QAN) closed 0.4 per cent lower, following a rejection regarding resuming flights with Japan. 

Energy stocks Woodside Petroelum (ASX:WPL) and Santos (ASX:STO) closed 1.7 per cent and 1.8 per cent higher. Gambling tech company Aristocrat (ASX:ALL) also had a good run, closing 2.9 per cent higher.

On the bank front, NAB (ASX:NAB) led the slope closing 1.2 per cent lower while ANZ (ASX:ANZ) did the best, yet still closed 0.2 per cent lower. Buy-now-pay-later giant Afterpay (ASX:APT) weighed on the market, closing 2.3 per cent lower.

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Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) granted due diligence to Sydney Aviation Alliance, after an upgraded take-over bid of $8.75 per share.

Qantas's (ASX:QAN) bid to resume flights with Japan has been rejected, despite the easing of travel restrictions on the horizon.

Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) has found an Italian distribution partner for its prostate cancer imaging drug, Illuccix.

City Chic Collective (ASX:CCX) will say goodbye to its chief financial officer Munraj Dhaliwal, who plans to leave at the end of this year.

Futures

The Dow Jones futures are pointing to a rise of 122 points.
The S&P 500 futures are pointing to a rise of 13 points.
The Nasdaq futures are pointing to a rise of 22 points.
The SPI futures are pointing to a rise of 30 points when the market next opens.

Best and worst performers

The best-performing sector was Energy, up 1.3 per cent. The worst-performing sector was Real Estate Investment Trusts, down 0.4 per cent.

The best-performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS), closing 7.3 per cent higher at $2.20. It was followed by shares in Silver Lake Resources (ASX:SLR) and Lynas Rare Earths (ASX:LYC).

The worst-performing stock in the S&P/ASX 200 was Omni Bridgeway (ASX:OBL), closing 4.5 per cent lower at $3.60. It was followed by shares in Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX:URW) and Redbubble (ASX:RBL).

Asian markets

Japan's Nikkei has gained 0.02 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng has lost 2.2 per cent. China's Shanghai Composite has gained 0.2 per cent.

Commodities and the dollar

Gold is trading at US$1791.50 an ounce. Iron ore is 0.4 per cent lower at US$129.71 a ton. Iron ore futures are pointing to a fall of 4.1 per cent. Light crude is trading $0.64 higher at US$70.11 a barrel. One Australian dollar is buying 73.49 US cents.

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