Australia: Shares gain, miners struggle

[SYDNEY] Australian shares rose 0.3 per cent on Thursday ending two sessions of losses with financial and healthcare stocks underpinning gains.

The S&P/ASX 200 index edged up 17.01 points to end the session at 5,210.7. The benchmark dipped 0.6 per cent on Wednesday.

New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index also nudged up 0.3 per cent or 18.76 points to finish the session at 6,087.900, not far from a record high touched earlier in the week.

REUTERS