The S&P / ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) has closed down 0.2% at 5,206.8, despite the US government shutdown after Congress failed to pass the government's spending bill. In other news the RBA held the official cash rate at 2.5% at its board meeting today as widely expected.
Here are the top five best performing stocks in the index today.
- Senex Energy (ASX: SXY) soared 4.8% to 77 cents
- Boart Longyear (ASX: BLY) rose 3.5% to 45 cents
- Southern Cross Media (ASX: SXL) added 3.4% to $1.825
- GWA Group (ASX: GWA) closed up 3% at $3.13
- Aristocrat Leisure (ASX: ALL) gained 2.8% to finish at $4.75
These stocks were the losers on the day.
- Ausdrill (ASX: ASL) dropped 6.1% to $1.47
- Sirtex Medical (ASX: SRX) lost 5.8% to $12.82
- Beadell Resources (ASX: BDR) fell 5.4% to 87 cents
- Ten Network Holdings (ASX: TEN) closed down 5.2% at 27.5 cents
- Karoon Gas (ASX: KAR) slipped 5.1% to $4.88
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Motley Fool writer/analyst Mike King doesn't own shares in any companies mentioned.