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.
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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.
