On Friday's trade, the All Ordinaries finished down 34.51 points or 0.60 per cent.

On Monday, the Australian dollar reached a two-year high, nudging over 78 US cents for the first time since June 2015. The Aussie dollar reached 78.19 US cents due to a weak US dollar after the release of Consumer Price Index economic data.

Resources giant BHP Billiton has met full-year production targets in its main iron ore and petroleum businesses but fell just short in its copper business due to an extended strike at a Chilean mine. BHP increased iron ore production by four per cent over the year, hitting the bottom end of guidance for 231 million to 234 million tonnes. Output in the petroleum business was 13 per cent lower at 208 million barrels of oil, which was still within the BHP’s guidance. BHP finished the week at 24.49.

CIMIC Group Limited (CIM) has been selected by the Victorian government as the preferred proponent, with Bombardier Transportation, to deliver the Metro Tunnel Project Rail Systems Alliance (RSA) with the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority (MMRA) and Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM). The RSA works package is part of the $11bn Metro Tunnel. CIM added 43 cents following the news and then ended the week on $1.04.

National Australia Bank (NAB) noted the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) announcement of an increase in capital requirements for the Australian banking sector. APRA advised that ADIs using Advanced Internal Ratings Based models, which includes NAB, will be required to target a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of at least 10.5 per cent by January 2020. As at March 31, 2017, the company's CET1 ratio was 10.1 per cent on an APRA basis. NAB rose following the news and ended the week on $30.46.

At the close of weekly trading, the gold price finished at $1,261 per ounce, the WTI oil price traded at $45.77 a barrel, and the Australian dollar was worth US $0.79.