Australian shares finished the session in negative territory on Monday, as declines in IT, healthcare and telecoms services pressured broader indices.
At the close in Sydney the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.14% to finish the day at 8,816.10, a drop of 12.60 points. The session featured a greater number of decliners than advancers, with 729 stocks lower, 459 higher and 425 unchanged on the Sydney Stock Exchange.
Top and bottom movers
Among the best-performing stocks on the S&P/ASX 200, Perenti Global Ltd (ASX:PRN) led gains, rising 4.80% or 0.11 points to close at 2.40. Australian Foundation Investment Company Ltd (ASX:AFI) added 4.67% or 0.30 points to end at 6.72. Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX:ILU) also outperformed, finishing up 3.84% or 0.30 points at 8.12.
On the downside, Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) plunged 17.00% or 6.27 points to close at 30.61, dropping to three-years lows during the session. Tuas Ltd (ASX:TUA) declined 7.81% or 0.20 points to 2.36, while Pls Group Ltd (ASX:PLS) fell 5.70% or 0.34 points to finish at 5.55.
Volatility and market breadth
Investors’ caution was reflected in the S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which rose 7.25% to 12.56, indicating an increase in implied volatility for options on the index.
Commodities and currencies
Commodity prices were mixed. Gold futures for August delivery increased 1.06% or 44.07 to $4,216.97 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for August delivery slipped 0.99% or 0.75 to $75.10 a barrel, while the September Brent contract fell 2.01% or 1.61 to trade at $78.44 a barrel.
In currency markets the Australian dollar was steady against the US dollar, with AUD/USD unchanged 0.19% at 0.70, while AUD/JPY edged up 0.04% to 113.17. The US Dollar Index Futures ticked higher by 0.08% to 100.69.
Context and market implications
The session showed a typical mix of stock-specific moves and commodity-driven divergences. Gains in selected resource and investment company names contrasted with notable weakness in certain technology and service-sector names. The rise in the ASX 200 VIX suggests participants priced in a modest lift in near-term option-implied volatility.
Market participants will likely monitor follow-through in the beaten-down names and whether the commodity moves influence sector rotation in coming sessions.
Data in this report reflect closing prices and percentage moves reported for the session.