The S&P/ASX 200 eased on Thursday, slipping 12.30 points or 0.14% to close at 8,831.40 after hitting a new 52-week high earlier in the session. Top laggards included ASX Limited, which fell 8.62%, and Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd, down 6.01%. Despite the decline, the benchmark index has gained 1.01% over the past five days and remains just 0.20% below its 52-week high.
In contrast, small-cap stocks outperformed, with the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index rising 18.90 points or 0.55% to 3,454.10. Over the past five sessions, the index has surged 3.47%, adding 115.80 points. You can read about several of them below.