SYDNEY: Australian shares closed higher on Thursday as investors cheered the Federal Reserve's assertion it would use its "full range of tools" to support the virus-stricken US economy, with added lift from tech stocks ahead of a batch of key US earnings.

The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 0.74% higher at 6,051.1, snapping two straight sessions of falls.

Among top gainers, Afterpay Ltd and WiseTech Global rose 1.6% and 5.9%, respectively.

Energy stocks closed 1% higher, helped by heavyweights Woodside Petroleum and Santos Ltd.

In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index climbed 0.8% to 11,692.02, with top gainers Mainfreight Ltd and A2 Milk Co rising nearly 3% each.