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The ASX200 closed up 0.58% at 8,091.9 points.
The last day of the earning season saw a wide array of company’s release results.
Retail sales data from July fell flat, showing activity plateaued. Analysts have now started to digest what, if anything, this means for interest rates.
Contractor Downer achieved a 34% increase in earnings and led Industrials higher, up 1.65%, followed by Energy which gained around 1.3 and Real Estate 1 percent.
Consumer Discretionary stocks tumbled around half a percent.
In the Green
Copper-focused miner Helix Resources Ltd (ASX:HLX) finished up 12.5% on receiving a partial takeover bid from major investor Acta Investment Group. , Acta is seeking to acquire 25% of Helix stock, and its led by WA veteran investor Michael Povey
Helix Resources closed at half of one cent.
Sydney based Actinogen (ACW) surged around 7% on the release of FY24 results.
Key milestones for the company were the advancement of two major phase 2 clinical trial programs, AND approval for a UK Innovation passport for its drup Xanamem in the treatment of Alzheimers disease.
Actinogen finished the session at 4.5 cents.
And Cyprium Metals (ASX:CYM) has closed up more than 17% after entering into a $40M offtake financing deal with mining giant Glencore.
The deal underpins an agreement between the companies to relaunch the WA-based Nifty copper project.
Cyprium Metals called it a day at 3.4 cents.
In the Red
Private hospital operator Ramsay Health Care (ASX:RHC) has plunged 6.75% as executives told investors that margins would be impacted by inflation and the rising wages bill.
Ramsay Health Care closed at $41.55.
Predictive Discovery (ASX:PDI) has shed more than 13% after the Guinean Ministry of Mines suspended the processing of permit applications. This is adversely affecting the company’s activities.
Predictive Discovery finished the session at 23 cents.
And shares in retailer Harvey Norman (ASX:HVN) lost more than 6% after it reported a net profit slump of 35%.
Revenue also dropped 3.9%.
Harvey Norman closed at $4.58
