As of 2:00 pm AEST on Monday, 23 June, the S&P/ASX 200 has continued to trend lower, shedding 36.50 points or 0.43% to sit at 8,469.00. This drop takes the index below its 20-day moving average, reflecting a continuation of the broader market’s downtrend from recent sessions. Over the last five days, the index has slipped 0.92%, and it is now 1.97% below its 52-week high of 8,639.1.
ASX 200 Afternoon Update– 23 June 2025 [ASX]
📊 Market Movement: Morning Drop, Afternoon Recovery
The trading day began with downward pressure, pushing the index to its intraday low of 8,421.1 at 11:47 am. This marked the lowest point so far today, as shown in the ASX 200 chart. However, by early afternoon, the market showed signs of stabilisation, clawing back some losses to settle near 8,470 at 2:00 pm.
Despite the rebound, the ASX 200 remains well below Friday’s close of 8,505.5. The day’s high so far matches that previous close, underlining the resistance the market faces around that level.
🟥 Sector Overview: Red Dominates, Energy Stands Tall
A glance at the sector performance heatmap reveals a sea of red, with Industrials (-1.23%) and Information Technology (-1.06%) leading declines. Other laggards include:
- Materials: -0.97%
- Consumer Discretionary: -0.78%
- Health Care: -0.76%
- Consumer Staples: -0.54%
- A-REITs: -0.46%
- Financials: -0.15%
The only sector in positive territory is Energy, up 0.42%, while Utilities remained flat to slightly positive at +0.05%.
This divergence is not uncommon in down markets, with energy stocks occasionally acting as a hedge due to oil and gas price movements.
ASX 200 sector performance heatmap [ASX]
📈 Top Performers: Energy & Retail Shine
Despite the overall market weakness, several stocks stood out on the upside:
- Viva Energy Group Ltd (VEA): +3.38% to $2.140
- Metcash Ltd (MTS): +3.11% to $3.815
- Beach Energy Ltd (BPT): +2.75% to $1.402
- Lifestyle Communities Ltd (LIC): +2.02% to $6.825
- Capstone Copper Corp. (CSC): +2.01% to $8.620
Metcash was notable not only for its gains but also for an unusually high trading volume — 4.26 million shares, marking a 270% increase over its 90-day average.
📉 Worst Performers: REITs and Tech Fall Behind
On the flip side, the day’s worst performing stocks are largely from real estate investment trusts (REITs) and tech-oriented companies:
- Digico Infrastructure REIT (DGT): -5.57% to $3.560
- HMC Capital Ltd (HMC): -4.59% to $4.570
- ZIP Co Ltd (ZIP): -4.53% to $2.740
- SiteMinder Ltd (SDR): -4.41% to $4.445
- Bellevue Gold Ltd (BGL): -4.26% to $0.900
The underperformance in REITs is aligned with broader sector weakness, possibly influenced by rate expectations or macroeconomic signals.
🔍 Volume Outliers: Surge in Trading Activity
Several stocks showed abnormally high trading volumes, suggesting institutional or event-driven interest:
- Light & Wonder Inc. (LNW): 684% above average
- Metcash Ltd (MTS): 270% above average
- Magellan Financial Group (MFG): 258% above average
- Amcor PLC (AMC): 197% above average
- Karoon Energy Ltd (KAR): 186% above average
This heightened activity could be a result of earnings, news events, or portfolio rebalancing activity.
📆 Broader Market Context
- 1-Day Change: -0.43%
- 1-Week: -0.92%
- 1-Month: +1.44%
- YTD 2025: +3.80%
- 1-Year Performance: +8.63%
While today’s dip adds to the recent weekly losses, the year-to-date and one-year returns remain comfortably positive, showing the market’s resilience over longer horizons.
Outlook
With the index sitting near support levels and volatility evident, traders and investors will likely look to economic data, commodity prices, and central bank cues to guide sentiment in the coming sessions. Energy and select retail stocks are offering short-term strength, but broader market caution continues to dominate.
Stay tuned for the closing bell update as the market navigates the final hours of trade.
