Aussie stocks finished the trading day with a boost, as the S&P/ASX 200 index climbed by 0.38% in Sydney. The Energy, Resources, and Materials sectors spearheaded the upward trend, propelling the overall market higher.
Taking a closer look at the S&P/ASX 200, some notable gainers stole the show. EML Payments Ltd (ASX:EML) made significant strides, surging by 11.59% or 0.08 points to close at 0.77. Meanwhile, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) secured a solid 5.45% increase, adding 0.49 points to finish at 9.48. Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX:IPL) also experienced positive momentum, rising by 5.42% or 0.15 points to reach 2.92 during late trading.
On the flip side, a few stocks witnessed a downturn. Nuix Ltd (ASX:NXL) stumbled, falling by 3.11% or 0.03 points, settling at 0.78. Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX:WGX) also faced a decline, losing 2.96% or 0.05 points to end at 1.64. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) followed suit, slipping by 2.19% or 0.11 points, finishing at 4.92.
As the final bell rang, declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange, with 653 falling against 601 rising, while 430 remained unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, a measure of implied volatility for S&P/ASX 200 options, dipped by 4.98% to 13.04.
Shifting gears to the commodities market, August delivery Gold Futures rose by 0.13%, amounting to a gain of 2.55, reaching $1,939.65 per troy ounce. Moving on to crude oil, the August contract experienced a slight uptick of 0.03%, climbing 0.02 to hit $74.85 per barrel. Simultaneously, the September Brent oil contract inched up by 0.01% or 0.01, trading at $79.41 per barrel.
Currency-wise, AUD/USD saw no change, holding steady at 0.67, while AUD/JPY slipped by 0.50%, falling to 93.37.
In international currency markets, the US Dollar Index Futures dropped by 0.24% to reach 101.15.
Overall, the Australian stock market witnessed a positive day, with select sectors leading the charge. It remains to be seen how these trends will unfold in the days to come, but for now, investors can savor the boost in market performance.
