All Ords down 2.7% over the past two quarters

Australia’s stocks have gone steadily backwards over the past six months, according to market data.

The All Ordinaries ended September at 5,744.90, to continue its recent losing streak (see table below).

The index has fallen 0.5 per cent over the month, 0.3 per cent over the quarter and 2.7 per cent over the half-year.

However, it has gained 0.5 per cent over the past three quarters and 4.0 per cent over the past year.

The longer-term picture is mixed – up 30.4 per cent on five years ago, but down 12.7 per cent from 10 years ago.

The All Ordinaries is an index made up of the share prices for 500 of the largest companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. It peaked at 6873.20 on 1 November 2007.

New listings, new capital

The ASX welcomed 28 new entities during the first quarter of the 2017-18 financial year, including 12 in September.

That compared to 33 listings in last year’s September quarter and five listings in September 2016.

Total listings have risen from 2,187 at the end of September 2016 to 2,245 at the end of September 2017 – an increase of 2.7 per cent.

A total of $18.8 billion of capital was raised in the first three months of this financial year, which was 2.9 per cent higher than the first quarter of the previous financial year.