It was a disappointing end to the trading week this Friday for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and ASX investors, with the markets giving up an early lead to close lower.
By the time the closing bell rang, the ASX 200 had retreated by 0.11%. That leaves the index at 8,580.1 points as we head into the weekend.
This unhappy bookend to the trading week for Australian investors follows a more upbeat night for American investors on Wall Street overnight.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a decent session, rising 0.43%.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn't quite as popular, but still managed a 0.094% rise.
But let's return to the local markets now and take stock of how the different ASX sectors handled today's trading conditions.
Image source: Getty Images
Winners and losers
There was only one sector that increased in value this Friday. But more on that in a moment.
Firstly, it was gold stocks that copped the brunt of investor displasure this Friday. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) was hit hard, plunging by 1.6%.
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were also singled out for punishment, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) cratering 1.48%.
Tech stocks were left out in the cold as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) tanked by 1.06% today.
Consumer discretionary shares also saw some selling, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)'s 0.67% dive.
Financial stocks contributed to the market's falls, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) was sent home 0.49% lighter this session.
Communications shares weren't much better, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) getting a 0.38% correction.
Healthcare stocks also saw some selling. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) dipped 0.29% this Friday.
Utilities shares weren't riding to the rescue, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)'s 0.23% drop.
Industrial stocks were in that ballpark too. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) endured a 0.17% decline today.
Consumer staples shares fared identically, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) also falling 0.17%.
Energy stocks were our final losers. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) inched 0.14% lower by the end of today's session.
Finally, our only winners this Friday were mining shares, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s healthy rise of 1.82%.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
Today's winner to close out the week was rare earths mining stock Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU). Iluka shares rocketed a massive 22.86% to $4.89 a share this session.
This huge leap followed some rare earths news out of the United States, which we looked at here.
Here are the other top stocks from today's trading:
| ASX-listed company | Share price | Price change |
| Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU) | $4.89 | 22.86% |
| Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) | $9.67 | 16.65% |
| Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) | $27.49 | 7.76% |
| Web Travel Group Ltd (ASX: WEB) | $4.80 | 4.12% |
| Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA) | $4.60 | 3.37% |
| Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) | $16.98 | 2.85% |
| BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) | $39.36 | 2.77% |
| Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) | $6.14 | 2.68% |
| New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) | $4.06 | 2.53% |
| South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) | $3.11 | 2.30% |
Enjoy the weekend!
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.
