Australian shares took a breather on the last trading day of the year on Thursday after running up to a 2-month high in the previous session, tracking negative global cues as oil prices continued to slump slump. By 0041 GMT, the S&P/ASX 200 index had slipped 3.84 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 5,316.1. The benchmark rose 1.0 per cent on Wednesday. Resources and energy stocks weighed on the index, threatening to end a 9-day rally that helped push the benchmark 3.0 per cent higher for December alone. With slumping iron ore and metal prices hitting heavyweight mining stocks, the index has had a rough year overall, shedding 1.7 per cent, and is on track for its first loss since 2011. On Thursday, major miners BHP Billiton slipped 1.3 per cent while Rio Tinto was down 0.6 per cent. Junior gold miner Evolution fell 2.8 per cent. Energy shares skidded, too, with LNG tumbling 6.8 per cent and Beach Energy down 2.5 per cent. Slater & Gordon, already the worst performer of 2015, down 86 per cent, continued its slide on Thursday, tumbling 4 per cent, according to Reuters.
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Source: The Financial Express