Local shares spent much of the shortened session in positive territory, but ultimately ended the final session before Christmas lower.
Here's a quick recap:
- S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) down 0.3% to 5627 points
- ALL ORDINARIES (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) down 0.3% to 5675 points
- AUD/USD at US 72.07 cents
- Iron Ore at US$79.19 a tonne, according to the Metal Bulletin
- Gold at US$1,129.72 an ounce
- Brent oil at US$54.73 a barrel
The miners led a late sell-off today. BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) dropped 2%, Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) fell 2.2% and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) shed 4.5%.
Shaver Shop Group Ltd (ASX: SSG) shares plunged 14.6% today after it said it had experienced weaker-than-expected sales during the all-important Christmas period.
Shares of Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) gained 2.5% after it announced it has entered into an equity purchase agreement with Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.
Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (ASX: LNG) also bounced 3.9% after it said its wholly owned subsidiary, Magnolia LNG, is in the process of agreeing with KSJV to extend the validity period of a current binding contract.
Legal eagle Shine Corporate Ltd (ASX: SHJ) managed to regain 5.8% after a mostly negative week. Its rival, Slater & Gordon Limited (ASX: SGH), on the other hand, remained flat.
Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN) and OFX Group Ltd (ASX: OFX) were among the market's best for the day, rising 1.5% and 3% respectively.
Meanwhile, Estia Health Ltd (ASX: EHE) shed another 3.2% for the session.
Here are Friday's top stories:
- CRASH: Why the Shaver Shop Group Ltd share price fell 12% today
- 3 ways the BHP Billiton Limited share price could go higher in 2017
- 3 reasons I would buy these 3 ASX shares in 2017
- 3 reasons to sell your Telstra Corporation Ltd shares today
- Should you worry about CEO share selling?
- Should you buy Ramsay Health Care Limited or Healthscope Ltd in 2017?
