The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7% to end at 8,869 on Friday, extending losses for a third straight session, but climbed 1.8% for the month, its biggest monthly gain since August. The rally has been underpinned by a sharp monthly surge in gold and base metals, as investors tilt toward physical assets amid elevated geopolitical risks and a softer US dollar. However, material stocks reversed earlier gains as investors locked in profits after metal prices surged to record levels. Mining giant BHP dropped 1.8%, while Rio Tinto plunged 3.5% after teaming up with Chinalco, the Aluminum Corporation of China, to buy a majority stake in Brazil’s aluminium producer CBA. Gold miners also retreated, led by Newmont, sinking more than 8%. On the upside, energy stocks edged up 0.1% to a six-month high, as oil prices rose amid potential global supply risks. Oil producer Santos jumped 2.5% after Queensland, Australia’s second-largest gas exporting state, awarded the company three new gas exploration permits.
