Market Close: Financials, utilities & energy lift the ASX200 into the green

The ASX200 finished the day in the green, but only just, finishing up 0.12 per cent.

The sectors finished fairly split with the best performers being Financials, which gained 0.8 per cent and Utilities and Energy which both added about half a per cent.

IT lost the most ground – 1.44 per cent – following a rough night’s trade on the Nasdaq.

In the Green

Constellation Resources (ASX:CR1) has gained more than 15 per cent after being named preferred applicant for six helium exploration permits in WA.

The company claims the areas show potential for helium with the six permits overlying granite geology with qualities that could suggest a large deposit of the critical gas.

CR1 closed the day at 9.8 cents.

Real Estate Investment Trust Growthpoint Properties Australia (ASX:GOZ) added 2 per cent on appointing Ross Lees as CEO and managing director, taking over from Timothy Collyer.

Mr Lees has been serving as the Head of Funds Management at Centuria Capital Group (ASX:CNI), where he helped elevate its funds management platform from $4 billion to $21 billion.

Mr Lees is set to step into the role in Q3.

GOZ closed at $2.27.

And Viridis Mining and Minerals (ASX:VMM) closed up more than 5 per cent as it acquired almost 10km2 of licenses to expand its rare earths play in Brazil.

This expansion consists of three new licences and one application for the right to mine in a new area.

VMM closed trade at $1.19.

In the Red

Online retailer Cettire (ASX: CTT) saw a second day of declines as the Australian Financial Review posted an investigation alleging Cettire may not pay customs taxes.

But Cettire responded to the Fin, alleging their journos were confused by a label on a box, and incorrectly stated the company didn’t pay its fair share to Canberra.

This was enough to lure some investors back in and Cettire finished the day down 14 per cent – not by as much as earlier in the session.

CTT closed the day at $3.99 after stooping as low as $3.41.

Breast cancer screening and diagnostics firm BCAL Diagnostics (ASX:BDX) lost 3.3 per cent on the appointment of Shane Ryan as its new Australia-based CEO.

Mr Ryan has been the COO since the beginning of the financial year and is charged with driving the market launch of the company’s new BREASTEST later this year.

BDX closed the day at 8.7 cents.

And tech conglomerate Dicker Data (ASX:DDR) slipped 10 per cent after its chairman and CEO, David Dicker, sold 18.3 million shares at $10.90 a share.

This represents 10.2 per cent of the company’s issued capital.

The sale was reportedly due to a recent divorce settlement and subsequent restructuring of David Dicker’s portfolio.

DDR closed the day at $10.84.