Australia: Shares end higher; down 0.9% for the week
[SYDNEY] Australian shares rose 0.7 per cent on Friday, led by gains in financials and consumer staple stocks while energy-related shares gave up gains as oil eased on a higher dollar.
The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 40.8 points to 5,919.9 at the close of trade.
The benchmark posted its biggest fall in 3-1/2 months on Thursday, falling 1.6 per cent. Many investors were buying for the new quarter with the settlement of shares bought on Friday only kicking in by April 1.
Despite Friday's gains, the index ended the week down 0.9 per cent.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index rose 0.36 per cent or 21.08 points to finish the session at 5,854.25.
REUTERS
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes
Capital Markets & Currencies
Morgan Stanley strategists see inflation as key for path of US stocks
US dollar soft on renewed Fed rate cut bets; yen on back foot
South Korea’s probe alleges 211.2 billion won of illegal short trades
Asia: Markets build on rally as US jobs data boost rate cut hopes
Zero-day options boom will only grow even as some investors fear disaster
Singapore stocks open in the black on Monday; STI up 0.3%