ASX 200 utilities shares led the 11 market sectors with a 4.47% gain, capitalising on a 3.64% lift the week before.
ASX 200 healthcare shares rose 3.88%, adding to their 3.53% increase the week before.
Last week was the second consecutive case of these traditionally defensive sectors outperforming their peers.
Meanwhile, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose 1.03% to close at 8,806.7 points.
Defensive shares tend to do well amid economic uncertainty.
Investors remain worried about a potential fifth interest rate hike in November due to persistently high inflation.
Experts described a hawkish tone in the minutes of this month's Reserve Bank (RBA) board meeting, released on Tuesday.
However, news on Thursday of a rise in unemployment to 4.7% in September eased fears of another rate hike somewhat.
The market is now pricing in a 16% chance of the RBA raising the cash rate to 4.85% next month.
Eight of the 11 market sectors finished in the green last week.
Let's recap.
Image source: Getty Images
Utilities shares led the ASX sectors last week
Just 21 companies make up the ASX 200 utilities sector.
Here's how the top companies by market capitalisation performed last week.
The Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price ripped 6.06% to close at $12.06 on Friday.
The APA Group (ASX: APA) share price ascended 2.37% to $11.23.
Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY) shares decreased 2.68% to $5.45 per share.
The Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ) share price rose 4.61% to close at $4.54.
AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) shares lifted 4.27% to $8.79 apiece.
Contact Energy Ltd (ASX: CEN) shares edged 1.59% higher to $7.04 per share.
Genesis Energy Ltd (ASX: GNE) shares fell 1.28% to $1.94.
The LGI Ltd (ASX: LGI) share price soared 6.84% to $2.50.
In the healthcare sector, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares rose 4.55% to $192.20.
Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) shares increased 5.95% to $2.85 apiece.
The Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD) share price ascended 5.43% to $34.35.
The Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) share price rose 6.03% to $175.73.
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) | 4.47% |
| Healthcare (ASX: XHJ) | 3.88% |
| Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ) | 3.35% |
| Financials (ASX: XFJ) | 3.2% |
| Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) | 2.15% |
| Energy (ASX: XEJ) | 1.31% |
| Industrials (ASX: XNJ) | 0.61% |
| Communication (ASX: XTJ) | 0.42% |
| Information Technology (ASX: XIJ) | (1.28%) |
| A-REIT (ASX: XPJ) | (1.73%) |
| Materials (ASX: XMJ) | (2.31%) |
