On the final trading day of 2023, these four ASX 200 stocks finished on a particularly high note by recording new 52-week high prices.
Meantime, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished the year in the red, down 0.31% to 7,590.8 points.
This represented a respectable 7.84% uplift for the year.
As the chart below shows, ASX 200 stocks performed strongly in November and December.
Rising hopes of interest rate cuts in 2024 and strong commodity prices powered an early Santa Rally.
Let's take a look at those four star-performing ASX 200 stocks on Friday.
James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX)
James Hardie shares are easily one of the best comeback stories of 2023. The building materials supplier was almost universally rated by brokers as a buy in early 2023, and the ASX 200 stock went on to smash even the most bullish price targets. It has climbed by more than 115% over the 12 months of 2023. On Friday, the James Hardie share price reached a new 52-week high of $56.54. It closed up 0.88% at $56.49.
Seven Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SVW)
Seven Group shares also rose to a new 52-week high of $36.99 on Friday. This was the crowning moment in a solid year for the ASX 200 stock, with the share price turbocharged in November when the company upgraded its FY24 guidance. Seven shares closed on Friday at $36.90, up 0.33% for the day.
Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)
The owner of Rebel, Supercheap Auto, and BCF reached a 52-week high of $15.78 on Friday. The ASX 200 retail stock delivered a particularly strong share price performance in the second half of the year. As the chart below shows, Super Retail shares closed the year at $15.77, up 0.38% for the day.
Arcadium Lithium CDI Def (ASX: LTM)
Arcadium shares hit a 52-week high of $11.57 on Friday. Of course, Arcadium is a 'brand new' share that has only been trading for a week. It's the newly formed entity resulting from the blockbuster merger of Allkem and US lithium giant Livent Corp. Over its first week of trading, the ASX 200 lithium giant lifted a respectable 2.56% overall. It's been a difficult year for ASX 200 lithium stocks, with commodity prices spiralling by more than 80% due to falling demand in China and a global oversupply.
