Markets close slightly lower...
The ASX200 closed the day down .3 of a per cent.
Utilities had a strong run, finishing up more than a per cent, followed by IT and healthcare – whilst the rest of the sectors slumped into the red.
In the green
Origin Energy (ASX:ORG) shot up 2.3 per cent on news it’s entered into an agreement with Australian wind farm developers “Virya Energy”.
The agreement will see Origin acquire Virya’s Yanco Delta wind farm, which comprises a 1.5 GW wind farm and an 800 megawatt hour (MWh) battery on a 33,000 hectare site situated in the Riverina district, within the NSW government-designated ‘South West Renewable Zone’.
ORG closed at $9.77
Robots developer FBR (ASX:FBR)was up 3.85 per cent on news its shares had commenced trading on the OTCQB Venture Market on Wall Street in New York.
The company anticipates this will increase exposure and visibility for FBR’s planned activities in the US and generate increased interest from US based retail and institutional investors.
FBR closed at 27c.
And junior Gold explorer, Newpeak Metals (ASX:NPM) shot up as much as 160 per cent today after selling gold permits held by its Finnish subsidiaries to a company in Canada.
Newpeak will receive $1.7 million dollars if the new owners can confirm a resource of 500 thousand ounces of gold, as well as over half a million in cash up front.
NPM closed at 27c.
In the red
Seven West Media (ASX:SWM)shed nearly 3 per cent.
It’s been a tough week for the network where its media culture has been in the spotlight – in the midst of Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation fight.
The Federal Court heard evidence that the Seven network allegedly partially refunded the cost of cocaine and sex workers as it tried to secure an exclusive interview with Lehrmann.
And details of an in-house fraud investigation also came to light this week.
SWM closed at 19c.
Cettire (ASX:CTT) shares were down nearly 7 per cent after reporting $191 million dollars in revenue for the third quarter of the financial year.
Cettire shares almost immediately turned red, which was unsurprising given recent investigations alleging the company may not have been properly paying customs taxes in the US.
CTT closed at $3.12.
And Far Northern Resources (ASX:FNR) was down 7.5 per cent on its first day of listing.
The company raised $6 million dollars on its debut but was confronted with a bad run for the materials sector – which shed around half a per cent.
Far Northern Minerals is a junior explorer hunting for gold and base metals in the Northern Territory.
FNR closed trade at 18.5 cents.