At closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 rose 3.90 points, or 0.05%, to 7,245.07. The broader All Ordinaries index dropped 14.59 points, or 0.19%, to 7,529.04.
Total 6 of 11 sectors ended higher along with the S&P/ASX 200 Index. Utilities was the best performing sector, gaining 2%, while information technology was the bottom performing sector, loosing 2.2%.
The top performing stocks in this index were METCASH and SILVER LAKE RESOURCES, up 7.34% and 4.55% respectively. The bottom performing stocks in this index were ZIP Co and NEARMAP, down 10.1% and 7.05% respectively.
Shares of energy companies advanced, underpinned by firmer crude oil prices, with Whitehaven Coal up 2.66%, while Woodside Petroleum added 0.94%. Oil prices climbed around 2% in early Asia trading hours after mostly falling last week on Covid uncertainty and the OPEC+ plan to increase output in January. Brent futures were up 2% to $71.27 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 2.13% to $67.7 per barrel.
Technology stocks fell, with aerial imagery firm Nearmap plunging more than 7% to end at its lowest since April 2020.
Materials and resources declined, with heavyweights BHP and Rio Tinto down 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively.
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Among individual stocks, grocery firm Metcash gained 7.3% after reporting a 13% jump in half-year profit. The Company also declared a 31% increase in the first half dividend, bringing it to 10.5 cents per share, alongside a favourable outlook highlighting a strong start to trading in the second half.
CURRENCY NEWS: The Australian dollar was at $0.7016, edging higher from levels around $0.69 earlier.
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