The S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) has posted another fall yesterday, closing Monday's session down 0.23%.
The decline on the local bourse came despite a positive lead from US markets last Friday where the Dow Jones gained 0.2% to close at a new record high and the S&P 500 gained 0.15%.
On the domestic front, the declining iron ore price appeared to weight on investors' minds, as did the upcoming Federal Budget. An upbeat reading on business confidence from the National Australia Bank Ltd. (ASX: NAB) monthly business survey failed to provide much spark.
Sectors were mostly lower with weakness amongst the miners – particularly those exposed to iron ore – leading a selloff in the materials sector. The only sectors to register a gain for the day were the industrials, health care and utilities.
Here are the top five best performing stocks in the index yesterday:
- Skilled Group Ltd. (ASX: SKE) closed up 7% to $2.89
- Sirius Resources N.L. (ASX: SIR) gained 6.9% to $3.10
- McMillan Shakespeare Limited (ASX: MMS) rose 6% to $11
- G8 Education Ltd (ASX: GEM) climbed 5.9% to $4.47
- Kathmandu Holdings Ltd (ASX: KMD) added 4% to $3.63
These stocks were the losers on the day: