Australia: Shares make modest gains on oil, NZ firmer

[SYDNEY] Australian shares were firmer on Friday as a bounce in oil prices aided the energy and commodity sector, though disappointing economic data from China took the shine off a record finish on Wall Street.

The S&P/ASX 200 index added 0.42 per cent, or 22.88 points, to 5530.90 at the close of trade.

That left the market up 0.6 per cent for the week, the first full one after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cut interest rates to a record low of 1.5 per cent.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index gained 0.13 per cent or 9.27 points, to finish the session at 7363.10.

REUTERS