The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) enjoyed a bumper session this Thursday, building on the gains we saw yesterday.
As of today's market close, the ASX 200 had blasted 1.23% higher to finish at 8,520.7 points.
This explosive trading session for the Australian markets comes after a similarly euphoric trading day up on the US markets.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a great time, rising by 0.71%
The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn't quite as enthusiastic but still climbed 0.19%.
Time to return to ASX shares now though, with a look at the various ASX sectors' performance this Thursday.
Winners and losers
There was only one ASX sector that missed out on today's market optimism.
That unlucky sector was energy stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was left out today, recording a 0.31% loss.
But it was all smiles everywhere else.
Financial shares led the winners, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) recording a 2% gain.
Consumer discretionary stocks had a great time, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) rocketed 1.88% higher.
Gold shares had another top session, as we can see from the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD)'s 1.73% leap.
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) also ran hot. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) soared 1.38% upwards.
Industrial stocks continued to push higher as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) surging 1.02% today.
Mining shares came next. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) galloped up 0.86% by the closing bell.
Communications stocks were also on fire, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)'s 0.52% gain.
Next up, we had healthcare shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) put on an additional 0.52% this session as well.
Utility stocks found themselves in the winning column too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) banking a 0.31% rise.
Consumer staples stocks were right behind that. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) pushed 0.3% higher today.
Finally, tech shares came in on the right side of the ledger, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)'s 0.29% uptick.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
Today's best performer was the Murdoch-led News Corporation (ASX: NWS). News Corp shares had another fantastic day, vaulting 5.77% higher to $56.28 a share.
This strong gain came after the company reported its latest quarterly numbers this morning.
Here's how the other top stocks on the index tied up at the dock:
| ASX-listed company | Share price | Price change |
| News Corporation (ASX: NWS) | $56.28 | 5.77% |
| Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) | $2.51 | 3.72% |
| Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) | $0.42 | 3.70% |
| Ingenia Communities Group (ASX: INA) | $5.78 | 3.21% |
| Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) | $4.86 | 3.18% |
| Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) | $77.06 | 3.16% |
| Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) | $16.86 | 2.80% |
| Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) | $0.765 | 2.68% |
| Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) | $10.33 | 2.68% |
| ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) | $30.95 | 2.59% |
Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.
