The ASX200 pared early gains to close up by a sliver of less than a tenth of a percent at 7860 points.

Utilities was the best performing sector, up 1.7%, followed by Real Estate, up 0.7%, and Energy, up 0.6%.

Discretionay was the worst performing sector, down 0.6%, followed by Financials, down around 0.2%.

In the Green

Orthocell (ASX:OCC) closed up 5.5% after Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority granted regulatory approval for its market leading dental membrane, Striate+.

Orthocell closed at $1.44.

New Hope (ASX:NHC) finished the day up 8.9% after its half year results revealed a 22% increase in underlying EBITDA, to $517 million, and a 35% jump in net profit after tax to $340 million. The company declared a fully franked interim dividend of 19 cents per share.

New Hope closed at $4.03.

West African Resources (ASX:WAF) closed up 3.6% on an update on its Sanbrado gold production centre in Burkina Faso. The company has achieved positive results and there is potential for an underground development beneath the Toega open pit mine.

West African Resources closed at $2.32.

In the Red

Endeavour Group (ASX:EDV) closed down 1.9% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the drinks giant’s shares to a “neutral” rating with a reduced price target of $4.50.

Endeavour Group closed at $4.04.

Arika Resources (ASX:ARI) was down 5.0% today after responding to an inquiry from the ASX on its recent market disclosure and the impact of exploration results on its shares.The company confirmed it considers the exploration results announced on March 7 to have a material effect on its stock price.

Arika Resources closed at 1.9 cents.

Appen (ASX:APX) closed down 3.7% extending a deep retreat in recent weeks. The company stock is now down approximately 60% since this time last month. This fall has been driven largely by the release of Appen’s full year results in February; particularly its guidance for the year ahead.

Appen closed at $1.16.