Welcome to your five-minute recap of the trading day and how the experts saw it.
The numbers:The ASX 200 has extended its losing streak to five sessions in a row,closing 0.2 per cent lower at 6,591.1 points,despite initially rising by one per cent in morning trade,followingthe US Federal Reserve’s expected decision to sharply lift interest rates overnight.
The sharemarket pared back its gains as the day progressed,with US equity futures weighing down the market as investors reconsidered the prospect of future interest rate rises.
The real estate sector was the biggest riser,growing by 1.1 per cent,while utilities fell by 1.7 per cent amid ongoing chaos in the national energy market. AGL Energy was down by 3.7 per cent by market close.
The big miners had a mixed day,with BHP and Rio Tinto rising less than one per cent each,while Fortescue Metals fell by 1.2 per cent. Similarly,the big four banks were relatively unchanged,although Westpac did suffer a 1.9 per cent decline.
Interest rate-sensitive tech stocks rose more than two per cent earlier in the day,but eventually fell into negative territory,with stock transfer company Computershare Limited falling by 2.4 per cent to close at $23.71.
The lifters:Eagers Automotive 5.4%,Appen 5.1%,Ramelius Resources 5.1%
The laggards:Link Administration Holdings -10.4%,Inghams Group -4.4%,Sims -4.1%
The lowdown:With the market expecting the 75 basis point increase to US interest rates,the ASX was fairly quietafter falls earlier this week and started the session on the front foot.
The latest jobs figures released on Thursday morning showed unemployment remained at 3.9 per cent,with a higher than expected 69,000 full-time positions added.