At closing bell, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 was up 35.52 points, or 0.51%, to 7,058.62. The broader All Ordinaries added 36.83 points, or 0.51%, to 7,317.46.
Materials, energy and consumer staples led gains, up 1.8%, 1.2% and 0.6% respectively. Utilities, Telecom, and IT were amongst the worst performers, down 0.9%, 0.8% and 0.2% respectively.
Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue Metals were solid throughout Thursday's trade, while energy firms also outperformed on improved oil prices. Ampol climbed after the fuel supplier reported a first-quarter profit compared to a loss a year earlier. Coal miner Whitehaven shares were savaged after it trimmed its annual managed coal sales forecast for the second time in two months. Telstra, ResMed, Transurban, and Afterpay were also notable decliners.
ECONOMIC NEWS: The unemployment rate fell from 5.8% to a 12-month low of 5.6% in March. Hours worked rose from 1,762 million hours to a record high of 1,800 million hours (up 2.2%) to be up 1.2% over the year. The participation rate also rose from 66.1% to a record high of 66.3% in March.
CURRENCY NEWS: The Australian dollar was at $0.7751, having climbed from levels below $0.765 yesterday.
Crude oil prices nudged lower in the afternoon of Asia trading hours, with international benchmark Brent crude futures falling fractionally to $66.55 per barrel. U.S. crude futures also declined slightly to $63.11.
Asia-Pacific market were mixed on Thursday, 15 April 2021, as risk sentiments were muted amid renewed concerns over the surge in coronavirus cases in the region and lingering fears of U.S.-China tussle. Chinese and Hong Kong shares fell after a Chinese diplomat indirectly warned the U.S. over strong linkages and interference over Hong Kong issues. Japan share market finished session marginal higher after Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda warned the economic recovery was likely to be modest due to uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic. Seoul stocks finished modesty higher after the Bank of Korea kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged at the record low 0.50 percent - in line with expectations.
The US stocks closed mostly down on Wednesday, 14 April 2021, dragging the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq composite index down, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to eke out marginal gains, as investors digested the first major results of the profit-reporting season.
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