ASX 200 consumer discretionary shares led the market sectors last week with a 4.3% gain.
Meantime, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) sashayed to a new record high of 8,566.9 points on Friday.
The benchmark index closed the week at 8,532.3 points, up 1.54% over the shortened trading week.
The market was buoyed by enhanced hopes of an interest rate cut this month following a better-than-expected inflation print for the December quarter.
The Reserve Bank of Australia board will hold its first interest rate meeting of the new year on 18 February.
Nine of the 11 market sectors finished in the green last week.
Let's review.
Consumer discretionary shares led the ASX sectors last week
Shares in the consumer discretionary sector's largest company Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) lifted 2.46% over the week to finish at $76.60 apiece.
The Wesfarmers share price set a new all-time record of $77.64 on Friday.
Shares in gaming technology company Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) rose by 9.66% to $75.57.
Aristocrat announced the completion of its $1.85 billion on-market share buyback program last week.
Aristocrat shares also reached a new record high of $75.57 per share on Friday.
The Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC) share price rose 3.05% to $5.05.
JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) shares rose by 3.47% to close out the week at $101.51.
The JB Hi-Fi share price also hit a record level of $102.97 on Friday.
Shares in furniture retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) lifted 5.06% to $5.20 apiece.
The stock hit a three-year high of $5.24 during the week.
ASX 200 travel share Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) flew 6.09% higher to $17.87 per share.
Shares in Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV), which announced the completion of its sale of various apparel brands to Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) on Tuesday, rose by 8.92% to $23.88 per share.
The brands sold to Myer include Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Portmans, Jacqui E, and Dotti.
Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) shares fell 8.04% to close at 92 cents on Friday.
As part of its payment to Premier, Myer issued 890.5 million new shares, and Premier will distribute these shares, along with its existing holdings in Myer, to its shareholders through an in-specie distribution.
On 6 February, eligible shareholders will receive approximately 7.2 Myer shares for every 1 Premier Investments share held.
Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) shares rose by 2.14% to close at $29.09 despite news of a class action over allegations of underpaying staff for six years.
Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) shares rose 4.35% to 12 cents on news of a $60 million divestment. This will provide some desperately needed funds to shore up the company's balance sheet.
Star CEO Steve McCann said: "We continue to work on a number of other potential non-core asset transactions."
ASX 200 market sector snapshot
Here's how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.
Over the five trading days:
S&P/ASX 200 market sector | Change last week |
Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) | 4.3% |
Healthcare (ASX: XHJ) | 2.79% |
Information Technology (ASX: XIJ) | 2.71% |
Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ) | 1.91% |
Financials (ASX: XFJ) | 1.61% |
Communication (ASX: XTJ) | 1.61% |
Materials (ASX: XMJ) | 1.13% |
Industrials (ASX: XNJ) | 0.78% |
Energy (ASX: XEJ) | 0.3% |
A-REIT (ASX: XPJ) | (0.58%) |
Utilities (ASX: XUJ) | (4.67%) |