While the S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.85 per cent during September, the index closed the quarter up 1.71 per cent and remains 14.83 per cent higher year-to-date.
Data from S&P Dow Jones Indices showed that the energy sector was by far the top performer during the month as oil prices rallied, rising 16.70 per cent.
The only other sectors to end the month in the black were utilities (up 2.50 per cent), financials (up 1.59 per cent) and communication services (up 1.29 per cent).
Energy was also the top performing sector on a quarterly basis with a rise of 9.27 per cent.
Year-to-date, financials continue to outperform with the sector surging 28.00 per cent. The communication services sector has jumped 26.45 per cent and consumer discretionary has gained 24.08 per cent so far this year.
Large cap stocks lagged behind the broader index on both a monthly and quarterly basis. The ASX 20 was down 2.45 per cent for September and 0.44 per cent for the quarter, while the ASX 50 was down 2.07 per cent for the month but remained up 1.14 per cent for the quarter.
As the major indexes ended the month in the red, microcap stocks tracked by the ASX Emerging Companies index rose 7.72 per cent in September. The index ended the quarter 18.76 per cent higher and is up 32.79 per cent year-to-date.
The worst performing sector in September was materials as iron ore prices continued to plummet. The sector was down 9.28 per cent for the month and 9.90 per cent for the quarter.
Utilities is the only sector in the red year-to-date with a fall of 1.46 per cent.
Jon Bragg
Jon Bragg is a journalist for Momentum Media's Investor Daily, nestegg and ifa. He enjoys writing about a wide variety of financial topics and issues and exploring the many implications they have on all aspects of life.
