The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) endured a horror start to the trading week this Monday, with investors evidently taking the bad mood they finished last week with over to this week.
The ASX 200 plunged at market open and kept falling most of the day, finishing 1.23% lower by the time the closing bell rang. That leaves the index at 8,191.9 points.
This torrid opening session to the week's trading came after an equally dire finish to the American trading week on Saturday morning (our time).
The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was sold off with gusto, tanking by 1.63%
The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was just as bad, slumping 1.63%.
But let's grit our teeth and return to the local markets for a post-mortem of the various ASX sectors this session.
Winners and losers
Perhaps surprisingly, we still had a handful of sectors that escaped today's trading with a gain. But more on those in a moment.
Tech shares were easily the worst-performing segment of the market this Monday. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) plunged 3.35% by the close of trade.
Financial stocks also had a day to forget, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slashed by 2.08%.
Consumer discretionary shares came next. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) crated by a hefty 1.93%.
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) also had a rough time. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) fell by 1.75% today.
Healthcare stocks also got slammed, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) going backwards by 1.5%.
Consumer staples shares improved on that, although the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) was still walked back by 0.64%.
Communications stocks were in the same ballpark. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) was sent home 0.39% lower.
Mining shares couldn't escape the pain either, as the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s 0.21% dip shows.
Our final losers today were industrial stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) got off lighter than most, slipping down 0.2%.
Turning to the winners now, energy stocks starred in today's show. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) defied the market to soar 1.82% higher.
Utilities shares were also back in the good books, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) banking a 0.88% rise.
Gold stocks round out our winners this Monday. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) escaped with a 0.52% rise.
Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown
Embattled casino operator Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) pulled off today's largest gain on the index. Star shares had a great day, vaulting 13.64% higher to finish as 12.5 cents each.
This appears to be the latest chapter of the massive volatility we have seen with this company in the past week.
Here are the other stocks that managed to escape today's poor conditions with a spring in their step: