Summary
Australian shares ended the trading session in Sydney on a softer note on Friday, with the S&P/ASX 200 retreating 0.11% by the close. Sector pressure from Gold, IT and A-REITs contributed to the loss, even as a handful of stocks posted notable gains.
Market movers
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.11%. Among individual stocks, Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX:TWE) was the session's strongest performer, rising 8.01% or 0.27 points to trade at 3.64. Washington H Soul Pattinson and Company Ltd (ASX:SOL) added 5.01% or 1.92 points to finish at 40.26, while Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC) gained 4.89% or 0.43 points to close at 9.23.
On the downside, DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) led declines, falling 12.95% or 0.58 points to 3.90 at the close. Nextdc Ltd (ASX:NXT) dropped 7.41% or 0.92 points to end at 11.50 and Codan Ltd (ASX:CDA) slipped 6.42% or 2.21 points to 32.20.
Breadth and volatility
Decliners outnumbered advancers on the Sydney exchange by 698 to 418, with 354 stocks unchanged. The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures implied volatility for S&P/ASX 200 options, eased 0.91% to 16.19, indicating a modest reduction in option-implied volatility.
Commodities and FX
In commodities, Gold Futures for June delivery rose 1.44% or 63.55 to $4,472.55 a troy ounce. Crude oil for May delivery fell 0.72% or 0.68 to $93.80 a barrel, and the June Brent oil contract declined 0.63% or 0.64 to trade at $101.25 a barrel.
On currency markets, AUD/USD was unchanged 0.20% to 0.69, while AUD/JPY rose 0.23% to 110.22. The US Dollar Index Futures moved down 0.05% to 99.66.
Takeaway
The close in Sydney reflected modest weakness in the broader index driven by pressure in specific sectors, while volatility edged lower and commodity prices diverged. Market breadth favored sellers, though several names recorded outsized gains amid the retreat.