Local shares closed lower for the fourth consecutive session on Friday.
Here's a quick recap:
- S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) down 0.2% to 5029 points
- ALL ORDINARIES (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) down 0.2% to 5078 points
- AUD/USD at US 72.46 cents
- Iron Ore at US$38.52 a tonne, according to the Metal Bulletin
- Gold at US$1,067.53 an ounce
- Brent oil at US$39.46 a barrel
The local share market showed some signs of life earlier in the session, but that unfortunately proved short lived. The ASX was weighed down mostly by a handful of blue-chip shares.
Indeed, BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) was again the primary culprit behind the sell-off as the big miner's share price lost 1.6%, ending a minor two-day rally. South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) also closed 0.5% lower, while BC Iron Limited (ASX: BCI) crashed 23.7%.
All four banks ended the day marginally higher, rising between 0.1% and 0.6%, but Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW) lost 1% and 1.5%.
Some of the other big-name losers for the day were Beadell Resources Ltd (ASX: BDR) and Sundance Energy Australia Ltd (ASX: SEA). The pair closed 3.7% and 12.2% lower, respectively.
Ten Network Holdings Ltd (ASX: TEN), on the other hand, ended the day 3.3% higher.
Here are Friday's top stories:
- BC Iron suspends iron ore operations
- 3 top shares to stuff in your Christmas stocking now
- Your instant 5 share healthcare portfolio
- Why St Barbara Ltd's share price has surged 1,157% in 2015
- Is the Woolworths Limited share price worth just $22?
- Why the Adacel Technologies Limited share price rocketed 620% in 2015
