Feb 19 2024: Australian stocks saw gains at the end of trading on Monday, with the Telecoms Services, Financials, and Metals & Mining sectors driving the market higher.
By the close of trading in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 index had risen by 0.09%.
Leading the gains on the S&P/ASX 200 were A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX:A2M), which surged by 14.55% or 0.74 points to reach 5.79 by the close. Additionally, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) climbed by 9.23% or 0.03 points to finish at 0.35, while Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX:RWC) saw a rise of 5.67% or 0.25 points, closing at 4.66.
Conversely, the session’s biggest losers included Lend Lease Group (ASX:LLC), which dropped by 14.51% or 1.09 points to 6.42 at the close. Nuix Ltd (ASX:NXL) also saw a decline of 11.05% or 0.22 points, ending at 1.73, while Orora Ltd (ASX:ORA) fell by 6.21% or 0.18 points to 2.72.
Declining stocks slightly outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange, with 603 stocks falling, 559 rising, and 310 remaining unchanged.
Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX:RWC) reached a 52-week high, climbing by 5.67% or 0.25 to 4.66.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, reflecting the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, decreased by 0.94% to 11.26.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for April delivery rose by 0.36% or 7.35 to $2,031.45 per troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in April fell by 0.76% or 0.60 to $77.86 per barrel, and the April Brent oil contract declined by 0.74% or 0.62 to trade at $82.85 per barrel.
The AUD/USD pair remained unchanged at 0.65, while AUD/JPY increased by 0.15% to 98.14.
The US Dollar Index Futures decreased by 0.05% to 104.13.