Market Close: Oil hits 4-year lows on trundling December day; DRO dives | Dec 17

Market Overview - The market experienced a slight decline of -0.1%, remaining nearly unchanged from the opening [2] - Certain sectors, particularly Staples, Health Care, and Energy, faced significant losses, with Energy being the largest loser [3] Sector Performance - Oil prices fell sharply, down as much as -2.7% to four-year lows, influenced by rumors of potential peace deals in Ukraine [3] - Consequently, oil stocks such as Woodside (ASX:WDS) and Ampol (ASX:ALD) saw declines, with Ampol nearing $31 per share [4] Notable Stock Movements - DroneShield (ASX:DRO) experienced a drop of over 10% as traders took profits after a +20% increase earlier in the week [4] - In contrast, Metal Powder Works (ASX:MPW) rose more than +15% due to a partnership with Austal for U.S. additive manufacturing needs [5] - Liontown (ASX:LTR) and IGO Limited (ASX:IGO) both benefited from a mid-week lithium price spike, each increasing around +12% [5] - PLS Group (ASX:PLS) also saw a rise of +5% [5]