The consumer discretionary sector jumped nearly 2% in midday Monday, with Brent crude edging 0.1% higher.
The S&P 500 hit a record on Friday, climbing 0.65%, after the release of the US jobs data.
Aristocrat Leisure (ASX:ALL) said that Light & Wonder (ASX:LNW), which hit an all-time peak, agreed to compensate the company for around AU$190 million to settle the pending litigation between the parties, regarding the company's claims of alleged misappropriation and infringement of its intellectual property. Light & Wonder agreed that Aristocrat's math information was used to develop certain games and agreed to permanently stop the global commercialization of these games and to remove existing installations.
On the flip side, the utilities sector fell 0.2%.
Locality Planning Energy Holdings (ASX:LPE) said it received a nod from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to change auditor from Bentleys Brisbane (Audit) to Grant Thornton Audit, effective Jan. 5.