Here's how the ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week

ASX utilities shares led the 11 market sectors last week amid yet another resetting of the ASX 200's all-time peak.

Bronwyn Allen

Author bio Bronwyn has 28 years of experience in journalism, copywriting, and media relations. She began her career as a reporter with News Corporation in Sydney in 1997. She later worked for two real estate corporations in communications and PR roles, then started her own freelance copywriting and publicity business. A keen shares investor, Bronwyn joined the Motley Fool Australia team as a copy editor and writer in June 2021. Areas of expertise ASX shares and ETFs News writing Macroeconomic trends Real estate Education Diploma in Journalism, Macleay College Social media LinkedIn Favorite investment quote "Don't look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack." — John C. Bogle, Vanguard founder and pioneer of index investing for ordinary investors

Published April 7, 2024 8:00 am AEST

ASX 200 utilities shares led the market sectors last week, with a 1.74% gain over the four trading days.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lost 1.62% over the week to finish at 7,773.3 points on Friday.

The benchmark index once again reset its all-time high last week, touching 7,910.5 points on Tuesday.

As my colleague Seb explained, investors were feeling optimistic given that inflation is moderating without a significant uptick in unemployment, opening the door to the possibility of lower interest rates later this year.

Only two of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's review.

a woman struggles to hold a large pile of folders and documents with only her eyes appearing over the top of the pile. — Image source: Getty Images

Utilities shares led the ASX sectors last week

Among the largest of the 22 ASX 200 utilities companies listed on the market, the stand-out for share price growth this week was AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL).

AGL shares rose by 2.51% to finish at $8.56 on Friday.

APA Group (ASX: APA) shares rose 1.67% over the four trading days to finish at $8.53.

The Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price lifted 1.41% to $9.28.

None of these companies had any official news out last week.

ASX utilities stocks outshone energy shares by only 0.24% this week, so let's take a look at how the big energy players did as well.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares led the ASX 200 energy large-caps with a 4.01% lift to $41.28 on Friday.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares also had a good week, up 2.52% to $7.93 apiece.

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price gained 0.59% to close at $30.60 on Friday, and investors were paid their dividends on Thursday.

It was quiet on the news front for these energy stocks as well.

There was no official news from any of them. However, here at the Fool, my colleague Bernd was pondering whether now is the time to invest in ASX 200 energy shares.

We also got a look at the Federal Government's new 5-year commodity price forecasts for oil and gas.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here's how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the four trading days:

S&P/ASX 200 market sector	Change last week
Utilities (ASX: XUJ)	1.74%
Energy (ASX: XEJ)	1.5%
Materials (ASX: XMJ)	(0.53%)
Industrials (ASX: XNJ)	(1.37%)
Financials (ASX: XFJ)	(1.45%)
Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ)	(2.03%)
Communication (ASX: XTJ)	(2.15%)
Healthcare (ASX: XHJ)	(2.82%)
Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ)	(2.94%)
A-REIT (ASX: XPJ)	(4%)
Information Technology (ASX: XIJ)	(4.73%)

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