The S&P/ASX 200 was unable to hang onto its early gains, ending Friday (21 February) down 26.6 points, or 0.32%, at 8,296.2 points.
The index has lost 3.03% over the past five days, and now sits 3.7% below its 52-week high.
Six of 11 sectors finished in the green. Materials stayed the course to close up 1.39% while industrials ended the session down 0.95%.
Gold producer Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) ended on a high note after announcing record gold production of 147,775 ounces and a 313% increase in net profit after tax to $170.4 million for the first half of the 2025 financial year compared to the first half of the 2024 financial year.
This led the producer to declare a maiden fully franked interim dividend $0.03.
Ramelius says it is on track to achieve 2025 financial year guidance of 270,000 to 300,000 ounces of gold at an all-in sustaining cost of between $1,500 and $1,700 an ounce.
Shares climbed 3.8% to $2.73.
Uranium explorer Deep Yellow (ASX:DYL) and diversified miner Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) held onto their early gains to close up 5.14% at $1.13 and 5% at $27.13, respectively.
Mineral sands producer Iluka Resources (ASX:ILU), however, slumped 4.85% to $4.51.
The S&P/ASX200 is Australia’s leading share market index and contains the top 200 ASX-listed companies in terms of market capitalisation, and accounts for about 80% of the country’s equity market. The index is designed to measure the performance of the 200 largest index-eligible stocks listed on the ASX by float-adjusted market capitalisation.
It is recognised as the institutional investable benchmark in the country.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
