The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) suffered a volatile and ultimately negative hump day session this Wednesday.
After opening in the red this morning, the ASX 200 briefly enjoyed some time in the sun after lunchtime today, but couldn't hold on. By the time the markets closed, the index had taken a 0.12% hit, closing at 8,531.2 points.
This unhappy Wednesday session for the Australian markets follows an even more negative night over on the American markets.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was smashed by investors, losing 0.7% of its value.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was harder hit still, tanking by 0.91%.
But let's get back to the ASX now and take stock of how the different ASX sectors fared amid today's rough trading conditions.
Winners and losers
Despite the broader market's drop, we still saw plenty of sectors gain ground. But more on those in a moment.
First up, it was gold stocks that took the brunt of today's selling. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) was punished this session, cratering by 2.28%.
Broader mining shares were also singled out for punishment, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) plunging 1.56%.
Utilities stocks were on the nose as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) dove 0.98% lower.
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were out of favour too, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)'s 0.4% loss.
That's it for the losers, though. Turning to the winners now, it was tech shares that won the day. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) soared by 1.09% this hump day.
Healthcare stocks ran hot too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) surging 0.71% higher.
Energy shares saw some buying as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) received a 0.65% boost from the markets.
Next up, we had communications stocks, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)'s 0.28% hike.
Industrial stocks also had a positive session. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) lifted by a healthy 0.27% this session.
Consumer staples shares weren't far off that, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) bouncing up 0.24%.
Its consumer discretionary counterpart was in the same ballpark. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) rose by 0.21% by the closing bell.
Finally, financial stocks made the winner's cut, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 0.06% bump.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
Today's index winner was energy company Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA). Viva shares shot up a robust 5.34% this Wednesday to finish at $2.17 a share.
There was no fresh news out of Viva today. However, it was a strong day for energy shares across the board, thanks to rising oil prices.
Here's how the other winners landed the plane today:
| ASX-listed company | Share price | Price change |
| Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) | $2.17 | 5.34% |
| Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) | $4.66 | 4.25% |
| Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL) | $1.73 | 3.92% |
| Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW) | $132.01 | 3.23% |
| IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) | $3.67 | 2.80% |
| Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) | $26.46 | 2.72% |
| Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) | $5.87 | 2.44% |
| Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL) | $6.10 | 2.35% |
| Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) | $0.72 | 2.13% |
| TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) | $41.15 | 1.98% |
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.
