It ended up being a bit of a disappointing Thursday for ASX shares and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). After yesterday's incredible gains, the ASX 200 retracted somewhat today. By the end of trading, the index had slipped back by 0.67% to 7,058.4 points.
This down day for Australian shares followed a far more positive night for US stocks last night over on Wall Street.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) ended up during a healthy 0.47% higher in last night's Wednesday session. The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn't quite as enthusiastic though, inching up by 0.067%.
But getting back to the ASX now, it's time for a look at how the different ASX sectors fared this Thursday.
Winners and losers
It was a decidedly negative session all around today, with only a couple of sectors eking out a rise.
First to the losers, and it was ASX gold shares that suffered the most today. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) had a pretty rough day, cratering 2.28%.
It was also a rough day for energy stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) tanking 1.19%.
Right behind, we have ASX tech shares to consider. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) retreated by 1.02% by market close.
Healthcare shares also had a tough time, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) shrinking by 1.00%.
Turning to real estate investment trusts (REITs), and the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) recorded a fall of 0.95%.
Then there were mining stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) wasn't immune from the market's bad mood, dropping 0.83%.
Financials shares also contributed to the broader falls. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slid by 0.77% by the closing bell.
The last loser was the consumer discretionary sector. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) slipped 0.07% lower.
Turning to the far fewer winners, these were led by the utilities space. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) had a pretty happy day, rising by 0.59%.
Not quite as happy were consumer staples shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) enjoyed a moderate gain of 0.38%.
Finally, communications shares eked out a mild lift, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) putting on 0.15%.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
ASX REIT Cromwell Property Group (ASX: CMW) came in on top of the index today, recording a pleasing 6.17% to 43 cents a unit.
This enthusiastic rise came despite no fresh news or developments out of the REIT.
Here's a look at the rest of today's winning shares closed out the session:
| ASX-listed company | Share price | Price change |
| Cromwell Property Group (ASX: CMW) | $0.43 | 6.17% |
| IRESS Ltd (ASX: IRE) | $5.79 | 3.39% |
| IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH) | $6.94 | 2.97% |
| Leandlease Group (ASX: LLC) | $6.70 | 2.92% |
| Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) | $3.00 | 2.39% |
| Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) | $40.41 | 2.36% |
| Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) | $8.74 | 1.98% |
| Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD) | $7.39 | 1.93% |
| Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) | $7.55 | 1.75% |
| ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) | $23.32 | 1.70% |
Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.
