1 October we become SureStone CapitalSame team, same ABN. Our website and email addresses move to surestone.com.au.
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The S&P/ASX 200 gave back some of its recent gains on Thursday, dropping 0.26% to 8,955 points.
Australia’s fuel crisis deepened overnight after a fire broke out at Viva Energy’s Victoria oil refinery, forcing the company into a trading halt as safety investigations continue. The incident weighed on the broader energy sector, which also lost ground as Middle East peace talks progressed. Ampol, the owner of Australia's only other refiner, closed flat.
Gold miners fell amid weakness in gold futures, with Evolution Mining slipping 4%.
On the data front, unemployment held at 4.3% in March, reinforcing expectations for a May rate hike, further degrading sentiment.
The tech sector was a clear bright spot, buoyed by Wall Street tailwinds after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs. Investor sentiment remains upbeat on hopes of further US-Iran dialogue. Life360 jumped 12.4%.
In corporate news, netwealth gained 6% after reporting total funds under administration approaching $126 billion, supported by strong quarterly inflows.
Overseas, attention turns again to the first-quarter US earnings season, with results from Netflix and Pepsi overnight.
