Australian shares advanced 1% on Thursday, led by banks after the US Federal Reserve hinted it would reduce borrowing costs by half a percentage point by the end of the year, calming investors rattled by the Trump administration’s tariff rollouts.
Meanwhile, local data showed a surprise fall in jobs in February, indicating a loosening labour market, though the prospects of interest rate cuts this year by the country’s central bank remained unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 1.1% to 7,916.1, as of 0213 GMT.
The benchmark closed 0.4% lower on Wednesday. Annual Australian jobs growth in February pulled back sharply to just 1.9%, from 3.5% the previous month, and figures showed net employment fell 52,800 in February from January.
The Reserve Bank of Australia had cautioned further easing could not be guaranteed given the surprisingly strong labour market could risk stoking inflation.
The main inflationary effect of strong employment is typically through rising wages, but wage growth moderated to a two-year low in the last quarter.
In Sydney, banks gained 1.8%, snapping a two-day losing streak.
All the “big four” lenders gained between 1.4% and 1.9%. Gold stocks rose 2.1%, aided by bullion prices reaching a fresh high.
Miners Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining gained 2.8%, each.
Information technology stocks tracked Wall Street gains, rising 1.6%.
Australian shares snap two-day rally as banks, miners drag
Sector majors WiseTech Global, Xero and Block were up between 1.1% and 1.8%. The gains were, however, capped by losses in miners, after iron ore prices eased overnight.
TPG Telecom jumped 5.3% after the local competition watchdog backed its $3.3 billion deal with telecoms company Vocus. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index traded 0.2% higher at 12,070.84.
Fonterra, the world’s largest dairy exporter, added 2.3% after it reported strong first-half earnings and lifted its dividend.
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