Australian shares chalk-up best weekly close for 2025

Four of 11 ASX sectors were trading higher - although some only just - as final trades were being settled, led by a massive 3.9 per cent gain in consumer staples.

The segment rally came after a supermarket industry inquiry cleared Woolworths and Coles of price-gouging and made no recommendations to break-up the oligopoly it found the two giants dominate.

The Australian dollar fell against a bouncing US dollar to buy 62.88 US cents, down from 63.38 US cents on Thursday at 5pm.