ASX 200 utilities shares led the market sectors with an impressive 9.38% gain as earnings season continued last week.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifted above 9,000 points for the first time in three-and-a-half months last week.
The benchmark index reached an intraday peak of 9,105 points on Thursday.
That was just 10 points shy of the all-time record of 9,115.2 points reached on 21 October.
Strong results from major companies, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), and ASX 200 gold miner Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), contributed to an overall 2.4% lift for the ASX 200 last week.
The ASX 200 closed at 8,917.6 points on Friday.
CBA’s 6% lift in cash profits to $5.45 billion for 1H FY26 saw the bank retake the ASX 200’s No. 1 spot from BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).
BHP shares reclaimed the title last month after CBA took it from the miner in July 2024 during an extraordinary share price run.
Seven of the 11 market sectors finished in the green last week.
The worst performing sector was healthcare, down 12.61%, after investors hammered three of the sector’s giants.
Shares in CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH), and Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) fell dramatically on their 1H FY26 reports.
Let’s recap.
Utilities shares led the ASX sectors last week
There are only 21 companies in the ASX 200 utilities sector.
Let’s look at the performance of the five largest players by market capitalisation last week.
Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) shares streaked 10.72% higher to finish the week at $12.08.
The electricity and gas provider reported an underlying profit of $593 million for 1H FY26, down from $924 million in 1H FY25.
Origin announced a fully franked interim dividend of 30 cents per share.
The APA Group (ASX: APA) share price rose 3.89% to $9.07 ahead of the company’s earnings release next Thursday.
Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY) shares fell 2.72% to $5.36 apiece.
The AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) share price skyrocketed 16.42% to close at $10.42 on Friday.
AGL reported an underlying profit of $353 million for 1H FY26, down 6% on 1H FY25.
The energy retailer will pay a fully franked interim dividend of 24 cents per share.
The Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ) share price rose 1.87% to $4.91.
Here’s how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.
Over the five trading days:
| S&P/ASX 200 market sector | Change last week |
| Utilities (ASX: XUJ) | 9.38% |
| Financials (ASX: XFJ) | 5.41% |
| Materials (ASX: XMJ) | 5.1% |
| A-REIT (ASX: XPJ) | 2.16% |
| Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ) | 2.07% |
| Industrials (ASX: XNJ) | 1.42% |
| Energy (ASX: XEJ) | 0.19% |
| Communication (ASX: XTJ) | (0.65%) |
| Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) | (0.97%) |
| Information Technology (ASX: XIJ) | (5.37%) |
| Healthcare (ASX: XHJ) | (12.61%) |
Which ASX 200 shares will be on watch next week?
On Monday, JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) and Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) will release their earnings reports.
BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) will release its 1H FY26 report on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC) will report.
Thursday will be a big day, with four ASX 200 sector leaders releasing their results.
They are Goodman Group (ASX: GMG), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).
We’ll also hear from ZIP Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP), HUB24 Ltd (ASX: HUB), and PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) on Thursday.
On Friday, Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) and Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) will reveal their numbers.
As for dividends, you can check out which ASX 200 shares go ex-dividend next week here.
The post Utilities outperform as ASX 200 ascends to a 3-month high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group and Zip Co. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Cochlear, Goodman Group, Hub24, Megaport, The Lottery Corporation, Transurban Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group, Bendigo And Adelaide Bank, Telstra Group, and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, Cochlear, Goodman Group, Hub24, Pro Medicus, The Lottery Corporation, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.