ASX 200 utilities shares led the market sectors last week, rising 2.56% over the five trading days.
Utilities shares are generally considered a 'safe haven' investment during market volatility.
The sector is comprised of just 21 companies, most of which are electricity, gas, or water suppliers.
Utilities providers generally have reliable earnings, which makes them a defensive investment during economic uncertainty.
However, the same can be said for ASX 200 healthcare shares, and they went the opposite way last week.
Healthcare was the worst-performing sector of the week, down 3.15%.
Sector heavyweight CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) played a role in the sector's decline, with the share price falling 6.67% to $239.31.
CSL delivered a presentation at two shareholder information meetings in Sydney and Brisbane last week.
Overall, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) virtually moved sideways last week, declining 0.08% to finish at 8,231.2 points.
Nine of the 11 market sectors closed out the week in the green.
The market is continuing its rebound following the US tariff-inspired market dip in early April.
The ASX 200 is now 3.74% above its level before the tariffs were announced in the US on 2 April.
Global markets, including the ASX 200, have settled since the US President announced a 90-day reprieve on the full tariff rollout.
For now, only a 10% baseline tariff applies to all nations except China.
Negotiations between the US and many of its trading partners continued last week.
On Friday, news broke of a deal between the US and the UK on beef.
In a post on Truth Social, the US President said:
The Deal I made today with the United Kingdom is GREAT for our FARMERS and RANCHERS! It's also wonderful for the United Kingdom. Everybody benefits, that's the way it should be!
Let's take a closer look at how the largest ASX 200 utilities shares performed last week.
Image source: Getty Images
Utilities shares led the ASX sectors last week
Let's recap the performance of the six largest players in the utilities sector.
Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY) shares shot 8.45% higher last week despite no news from the New Zealand electricity provider.
The Mercury share price finished the week at $5.65.
APA Group (ASX: APA) shares rose 4.62% over the five trading days to finish at $8.61.
APA presented at the Macquarie Conference last Tuesday. You can check out the company's presentation here.
Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ) shares ascended 2.12% to $5.30 apiece.
AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) shares lifted 2.03% to $11.05.
Genesis Energy Ltd (ASX: GNE) shares rose 1.94% to $2.10 apiece.
Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) shares rose by 1.57% to $11.03.
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 |
| Utilities (ASX: XUJ) | 2.56% |
| Information Technology (ASX: XIJ) | 2.23% |
| Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ) | 1.71% |
| Industrials (ASX: XNJ) | 1.52% |
| A-REIT (ASX: XPJ) | 1.32% |
| Communication (ASX: XTJ) | 1.16% |
| Energy (ASX: XEJ) | 0.81% |
| Materials (ASX: XMJ) | 0.53% |
| Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) | 0.43% |
| Financials (ASX: XFJ) | (1.05%) |
| Healthcare (ASX: XHJ) | (3.15%) |
