The Australian share market has closed flat, with gains in traditionally defensive sectors offset by weakness among resources-linked stocks amid quiet trading conditions.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed down 3.2 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 4,483.4 points on Thursday, while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 4.6 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 4,505.5 points.
On the ASX 24, the December share price index futures contract slipped seven points to 4,481 points, on volume of 21,365 contracts traded.
The local market opened about 0.02 per cent lower and was at similar levels at noon before slipping further into negative territory during the afternoon session.
CMC Markets senior trader Tim Waterer said investors looked past Chinese economic data, published on Monday, which showed exports on the rise in September.
Figures from China showed exports rose 9.9 per cent in September, well above the median market forecast of a 5.5 per cent improvement.
“The Australian share market traded in a rudderless fashion to start the week, with investors showing surprising indifference to the Chinese data,” Mr Waterer said in a research note.
“The market’s over-reliance on stimulus is on display, with the good Chinese data result doused by lowered expectations of further PBoC (People’s Bank of China) easing measures, which explains the largely unmoved market response.”
The telecoms sector was the best-performing sector on Monday, having risen 0.31 per cent, according to IRESS data.
There were also gains in the consumer staples sector (up 0.28 per cent) and financial stocks, which advanced 0.28 per cent.
By contrast, the gold sector fell 2.34 per cent, and metals and minerals companies declined 1.09 per cent.
BHP Billiton slipped 19 cents to $33.35 and Rio Tinto declined 58 cents to $55.82.
The spot price of gold in Sydney finished at $US1,745.15 per fine ounce, down $US24.96 from Friday’s local close of $US1,770.11 per ounce.
Making news on Monday, Origin Energy said production had resumed at its Yolla gas project in Bass Strait, but part of its upgrade has been delayed.
Origin closed down six cents at $11.50.
Fairfax Media, which reached a fresh all-time low on Friday, fell half a cent to 38.5 cents, with 26 million shares changing hands.
Other media stocks finished mostly lower.
Seven West Media slipped 2.5 cents to $1.275 and Ten fell two cents to 35 cents, but News Corporation advanced two cents to $24.15. News Corp non-voting scrip rose four cents to $23.75.
National turnover was 1.6 billion securities worth $2.6 billion, with 441 stocks up, 505 down and 339 unchanged.
