The S&P/ASX 200 index closed lower Thursday, shedding more than 50 points as renewed uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, a sharp drop in a major healthcare stock and broad sector rotation left investors cautious despite some resilience in energy and gold-related names.
The benchmark XJO:ASX finished the session at 8,793.4, down 50.2 points or 0.57% at the 4 p.m. AEST close on April 23. The index traded in a range between approximately 8,747.8 and 8,843.6 intraday, reflecting choppy sentiment as traders weighed Middle East tensions against mixed signals from Wall Street and domestic corporate updates.
