It was a volatile and slightly sour end to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Friday.
After opening strong, the ASX 200 lost steam throughout the day and dipped into negative territory a couple of times, eventually closing down 0.034%. That leaves the index at 8,717.8 points as we head into the weekend.
This less-than-glorious wrap to the Australian trading week follows a mixed night over on the US markets.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in a good mood, gaining a solid 0.55%.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) went the other way, though, dropping 0.44%.
Let’s get back ot the local markets now and examine how the various ASX sectors traversed today’s tough trading conditions.
Winners and losers
It was an even split between the red sectors and the green ones today.
Leading those red sectors were tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was not popular today, diving 0.48%.
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) had a rough time of it too, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) tanking 0.41%.
Financial stocks weren’t quite as on the nose. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) sank 0.22% today.
Mining shares came in just in front of that, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)’s 0.19% drop.
Next came industrial shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) drifted 0.15% lower this session.
Healthcare shares were in a similar boat, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) losing 0.11% of its value.
Turning to the winners now, it was energy stocks that saw the highest demand this Friday. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) soared 2.12% higher by the close of trade.
Consumer staples shares also ran hot, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)’s 1.02% surge.
Communications stocks were a little more muted. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) ended up lifting 0.37%.
Gold shares fared similarly, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) adding 0.25% to its total.
Consumer discretionary stocks managed to pull off a win, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) finished up 0.22%.
Finally, utilities shares eked out a win, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)’s 0.03% bump.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
Coming in on top of the index chart this Friday was Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA). Codan shares had a blowout session, exploding 16.89% higher to close at $36.89 each.
This dramatic jump was a response to a positive trading update the company released this morning.
Here’s how the rest of today’s best fared:
| ASX-listed company | Share price | Price change |
| Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) | $36.89 | 16.89% |
| Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) | $1.54 | 5.14% |
| James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) | $32.42 | 5.12% |
| Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) | $26.64 | 4.76% |
| DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) | $4.02 | 4.42% |
| Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) | $3.56 | 4.09% |
| Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) | $3.07 | 4.07% |
| Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) | $6.15 | 3.54% |
| Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB) | $8.06 | 3.33% |
| Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) | $1.10 | 2.80% |
Enjoy the weekend!
Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.
The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in Eagers Automotive Ltd right now?
Before you buy Eagers Automotive Ltd shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Eagers Automotive Ltd wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
* Returns as of 1 Jan 2026
.custom-cta-button p {
margin-bottom: 0 !important;
}
More reading
- 3 ASX 200 stocks rocketing higher in the first full trading week of 2026
- Karoon shares surge 6% as investors eye a busy 2026 calendar
- Why Codan, DroneShield, Mesoblast, and Woodside shares are storming higher today
- Aussie defence stocks tick higher on bullish Trump comments
- Why are Mesoblast shares jumping 10% to a 52-week high?
Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Eagers Automotive Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
Leave a Reply