End of Day Report – Friday 16 May: ASX up 46 points to 3-month high | Resources rally

The ASX 200 wilted slightly from 8400, to close up only 46 points at 8344, touching a 3-month high. Today, it was all about resources as BHP, RIO, and FMG rallied. The gold sector, too, was back in demand, with GMD up 4.4% and NEM rising 3.6% after a bruising week. LYC bounced too much 2.7% with LTR continuing to find friends and shorts covering. Up another 3.2%. In oil and gas, WDS unchanged and STO rose 0.5%, with uranium stocks giving back some recent gains, PDN down 8.0%, and BOE off 7.2%. Banks took a breather with NAB pushing higher again, CBA off slightly, and MQG fell 1.5% with IAG down 2.8%. The Big Bank Basket $267.18 (+0.1%) Financials were stronger, PNI up 2.8% and IFL rising 1.2%.  ZIP is up another 2.4%. REITs also benefitted from lower yields and pushed higher, GMG up 2.9% and SCG rising 2.5%.  Healthcare was better as CSL rose 1.4% with industrials a slight green tinge. TCL is up 0.9%, and QAN is doing well, Retail is, too, ahead of RBA next week. Tech slipped, XRO was down 1.1%, and WTC was off 2.2%. The All-Tech Index is down 0.1%. In corporate news, APX jumped 18.7% on an update at the AGM, NWH shrugged off Valhalla news, and DXS went down 1.1% after APAC moved on breach of contracts.  Nothing locally on the economic front, Japanese GDP fell slightly, and China and HK went down 0.6%. 10-year yields down to 4.45%. Want to invest with Marcus Today? The Managed Strategy Portfolio is designed for investors seeking exposure to our strategy while we do the hard work for you. If you’re looking for personal financial advice, our friends at Clime Investment Management can help. Their team of licensed advisers operates across most states, offering tailored financial planning services.    Why not sign up for a free trial? Gain access to expert insights, research, and analysis to become a better investor.