It was a rather unpleasant day to be an ASX investor this Thursday, with the Australian markets suffering a significant sell-off over the session. After a reprieve from the selling that we saw earlier in the week, yesterday, the bears were back on the ASX today, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) staying in red territory all day and closing down a chunky 0.68%.
That leaves the ASX 200 at 8,748.7 points.
This lacklustre session on the ASX comes after a mixed night up on Wall Street.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in an accommodating mood, rising 0.35%.
However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn't so lucky, dropping 0.43%.
But let's return to the local markets now and dig down into what was happening with the various ASX sectors over today's trading.
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Winners and losers
Despite the broader market's drop, we still had a few sectors that advanced this Thursday.
But first, it was again gold shares that were the scourge of the market. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) had another shocker, crashing 4.35%.
Energy stocks were also in the firing line, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) cratering 2.48%.
Mining shares found themselves on the nose as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) plunged down 2.28%.
We could say the same for financial stocks, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 1.22% dive.
Tech shares were unpopular as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) gave up some of yesterday's gains, tanking 0.82%.
That's it for the losers, though, so let's turn to the winners now.
Leading said winners were, fittingly, healthcare stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) roaring 2.56% higher.
Consumer discretionary shares also ran hot. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) enjoyed a 2.11% surge this Thursday.
Its consumer staples counterpart was also in demand, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)'s 1.41% jump.
Next came real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) enjoyed a 1.07% boost this Thursday.
Utilities shares didn't miss out either, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) bouncing up 0.71%.
Communications stocks were a little more muted. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) advanced 0.27% today.
Finally, industrial shares got across the finish line, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)'s 0.24% uptick.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
ASX REIT LendLease Group (ASX: LLC) took out today's top spot. LendLease units rocketed 8.93% higher today to close at $3.17 each.
This great leap higher followed LendLease revealing the details of a major asset sale today.
Here's how the other winners landed their planes this Thursday:
| ASX-listed company | Share price | Price change |
| LendLease Group (ASX: LLC) | $3.17 | 8.93% |
| Reece Ltd (ASX: REH) | $16.80 | 7.28% |
| James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) | $36.85 | 5.23% |
| Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) | $23.09 | 5.05% |
| ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) | $29.20 | 4.55% |
| Block Inc (ASX: XYZ) | $109.88 | 4.40% |
| Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) | $8.21 | 4.32% |
| Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) | $14.79 | 4.23% |
| JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) | $81.60 | 4.08% |
| Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) | $10.71 | 4.08% |
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.
