The benchmark had notched a record close of 9,128.30 on Wednesday. According to the ASX website, over the last five days, the index has gained 0.98% and is currently 0.30% off of its 52-week high. Miners climbed 1.2% to close at a new peak.
S&P/ASX 200: Top gainers and losers
The S&P/ASX 200’s top five gainers posted strong advances during the session, led by MP1, Megaport Limited, which closed at 9.120, up 1.020 or 12.592 per cent. TLX, Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited, finished at 10.200, rising 1.000, or 10.869 per cent. RHC, Ramsay Health Care Limited, ended the day at 42.120, gaining 3.950, or 10.348 per cent.
Also among the top performers was GDG, Generation Development Group Limited, which settled at 4.680, up 0.430 or 10.117 per cent. PME, Pro Medicus Limited, closed at 127.600, climbing 11.690, or 10.085 per cent.
On the downside, WOR, Worley Limited, recorded the steepest fall among the decliners, finishing at 11.710, down 1.330 or 10.200 per cent. QAN, Qantas Airways Limited, closed at 9.670, shedding 0.980, or 9.202 per cent. LTR, Liontown Limited, ended at 1.815, slipping 0.170, or 8.565 per cent.
YAL, Yancoal Australia Limited, declined to 5.640, losing 0.520, or 8.442 per cent, while ORA, Orora Limited, wrapped up the session at 2.190, down 0.150, or 6.411 per cent.
S&P/ASX 200: Top-performing sectors
7 of 11 sectors ended higher along with the S&P/ASX 200 Index. According to the ASX website, information technology was the best-performing sector, gaining +5.19% and +0.20% for the past five days.
Index heavyweight BHP climbed 2.2% to close at a record high of A$57.75, while Rio Tinto added 3.7%, news agency Reuters reported. A rise in copper prices due to the post-Lunar New Year pickup in Chinese import demand added to the gains.
Healthcare stocks rose 1.6%, with hospital operator Ramsay Health Care jumping 10.4% on beating first-half profit expectations. Telix Pharmaceuticals advanced 10.9%. Technology stocks jumped 5.2%, tracking a global rally after Nvidia’s blockbuster results calmed AI jitters.
Qantas Airways slumped as much as 10.1% after its international arm posted an unexpected profit drop, pressured by rising expenses and weaker U.S.-bound economy travel demand. Energy and gold stocks capped gains, falling 1.5% and 0.8%, respectively.
Data released on Wednesday showed Australian consumer prices rose more than expected in January, heightening the risk of a follow-up interest rate hike. Banks finished little changed. The shift away from rate-sensitive stocks has been building in recent months, and Liu sees further selling, noting that markets have not fully priced in the high probability of a May hike.
