ASX 200: Lendlease UK sale; ASX’s fresh technical glitch

The local sharemarket has turned up in thin holiday trade, with gains broadbased, despite a fresh post-pandemic low for the Aussie dollar.

The local share market is kicking off 2025 with low volumes due to the quiet period. Picture: David Swift

The local sharemarket has closed in firmly positive territory on the first trading day of 2025, amid low holiday volumes and following turn-up in US futures.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.5 per cent, or 42.1 points, to 8201.2.

The broader All Ordinaries index strengthened 0.5 per cent, or 44.5 points, to 8465.

It came after the Australian dollar hit a fresh post-pandemic low, at US61.84c - its weakest price since April 2020. By 4.30pm (AEDT), the currency had retraced to US62.15c.

All sectors bar consumer staples ended the session in the green.

Energy stocks led local gains, up 1.5 per cent as a sector, supported by the price of oil.

Santos made 1.4 per cent to $6.77, while Woodside turned up 1.5 per cent, to $24.96.

Major miners were also upbeat, as BHP made 1 per cent to $39.96, while rival Rio Tinto rose 0.6 per cent to $118.21. Fortescue surged 3.1 per cent to $18.81.

Financials edged up 0.3 per cent as a sector, with the big four banks all positive.

National Australia Bank made 0.4 per cent to $37.24, while Westpac added 0.3 per cent to $32.41.

Commonwealth Bank ticked up 0.2 per cent to $153.57, and ANZ rose 0.2 per cent to $28.59.

Elsewhere, Lendlease strengthened 0.2 per cent to $6.24 after signing a deal to sell its UK construction unit.

It comes after major US stock indexes ended their last 2024 session in the red, after oscillating between small gains and losses through the day. The S&P 500 dropped 0.4 per cent, the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.9 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined less than 0.1 per cent.

But that didn’t stop the US indexes from notching their best two-year rally in more than 25 years. The S&P 500 rose 23 per cent in 2024, the Dow 13 per cent and the Nasdaq 29 per cent.

Comparatively, the ASX 200 saw a 7.5 per cent gain last year.

Investors are awaiting key economic data next week, including the release of November consumer price index data on January 8 and retail sales figures on January 9.

In afternoon trading, gains are being led by the energy and property sectors, up more than 1 per cent.

Originally published as ASX 200: Lendlease UK sale; ASX’s fresh technical glitch