ASX 200 consumer discretionary shares led the market sectors last week with a 3.83% gain.
Many ASX 200 retail heavyweight shares hit multi-year highs amid rising consumer confidence and 'animal spirits' in the market.
As Platypus Asset Management's head of investments, Prasad Patkar, told the Australian Financial Review last week:
We're in a bull market, no doubt about it.
Equity markets move together, and with the US hitting all-time highs, those animal spirits go global.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) reset its record again on Friday at 9,025.5 points, but rose by just 0.32% over the five days.
The ASX 200 closed at 8,967.4 points on Friday.
Eight of the 11 market sectors finished in the green last week.
Healthcare dove 11.16% after sector leader CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) released its FY25 results and announced the surprise Seqirus demerger.
Let's review.
Image source: Getty Images
Consumer discretionary shares led the ASX 200 last week
Shares in the retail sector's largest company, Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), lifted 5.85% over the week to close at $94.63 apiece.
The Wesfarmers share price set a new record of $95.18 on Friday.
The Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC) share price rose 7.92% to close at $5.86, after reaching a new record of $5.89, on Friday.
Lottery Corporation released its FY25 results on Wednesday.
JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) shares rose by 1.36% to close out the week at $118.09.
The JB Hi-Fi share price also hit a record $121 on Wednesday.
Shares in furniture retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) lifted 4.37% to $6.21 apiece.
The ASX 200 retail stalwart hit an 18-year high of $6.25 on Friday.
Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) shares soared 15.11% to $18.66 on Friday.
The Super Retail share price lifted to an all-time peak of $20.20 after the company released its FY25 results on Thursday.
The Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) share price advanced 3.63% to finish the week at $21.99.
The ASX 200 auto share hit a record $22.67 on Thursday.
Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) shares inched 0.83% higher to $35.23 on Friday.
Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) shares dove 14.99% to $23.70 after the Mexican restaurant group released its FY25 results on Friday.
Consumers feeling more confident
AMP economist, My Bui, says more Australian consumers are feeling optimistic about their family finances and the economic outlook.
Bui notes that the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Survey rose to an almost neutral level of 98.5 this month.
That's much higher than last month's 93.1 and the previous 12-month average of 91.3.
Bui says this is "signalling some pickup in household spending in the upcoming months".
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a 'retail sales surge' in June.
Here's how the 11 ASX 200 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.
Over the five trading days:
| S&P/ASX 200 market sector | Change last week |
| Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) | 3.83% |
| Financials (ASX: XFJ) | 3.45% |
| Communication (ASX: XTJ) | 3.44% |
| Industrials (ASX: XNJ) | 2.47% |
| Utilities (ASX: XUJ) | 1.62% |
| Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ) | 1.4% |
| Information Technology (ASX: XIJ) | 0.93% |
| A-REIT (ASX: XPJ) | 0.71% |
| Energy (ASX: XEJ) | (1.97%) |
| Materials (ASX: XMJ) | (2.43%) |
| Healthcare (ASX: XHJ) | (11.16%) |
