ASX 200 up 0.1%; Zip and Afterpay slump; Metcash soars

The ASX 200 has finished fractionally higher, amid sharp tech falls led by Zip and Afterpay. Investors dumped Bapcor following early CEO exit. The Santos-Oil Search merger has cleared one PNG hurdle. Metcash soared after solid results.

Australian shares to edge higher at the open as iron ore climbs. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Welcome to the Trading Day blog for Monday, December 6. ASX closed slightly higher as Zip, Afterpay lead tech rout. Metcash was the top gainer on its strong results, while Bapcor sunk on the early exit of its CEO.

The benchmark ASX200 closed 0.1 per cent higher at 7245.10 on Monday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended Friday trading down 0.2 per cent despite a late rally towards the close. The S&P 500 finished 0.8 per cent lower, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq was off 1.9 per cent.

Iron ore traded 0.2 per cent higher to $US98.50 a tonne. The US Nymex crude price fell 0.4 per cent to $US66.22 a barrel.