Australia: Shares hit record high on tech, healthcare push

[BENGALURU] Australian shares touched an all-time high on Friday, lifted by healthcare and technology companies, as investors looked ahead to corporate earnings from heavyweight names next week.

The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.49 per cent to a record high at 7,625.5 points by 0046 GMT. The benchmark settled 0.05 per cent higher at 7,588.2 points on Thursday.

Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei was down 0.13 per cent at 27979.19 points, while S&P 500 E-minis futures were down 0.06 per cent.

Earnings season is set to kick into full gear next week, with major lender Westpac and biotech company CSL set to report their results.

Export-reliant Aussie health stocks climbed 1.5 per cent and were the biggest boosts on the local bourse, helped by a strong US dollar.

CSL advanced as much as 1.4 per cent, marking its best day in a week.

Local technology stocks rose 1.15 per cent, tracking Wall Street overnight where mega-cap technology stocks drove the market higher.

Software firm Altium led gains on the sub-index, climbing 3.3 per cent, followed by Codan, gaining 3.05 per cent.

Financials rose 0.18 per cent, with National Australia Bank Australia and New Zealand Banking Group and Westpac rising between 0.4 per cent and 1.3 per cent.

The country's No.1 lender, Commonwealth Bank, slid as much as 1.1 per cent.

Major miners fell 0.66 per cent after iron ore futures skidded overnight on concerns over steel output controls in China and signs of economic slowdown in the world's top metal consumer.

Miner Red 5 led losses, falling 2.63 per cent, followed by Galaxy Resources, down 2.2 per cent.

Across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index rose 0.64 per cent to 12,762.7 points.

REUTERS