Australia: Shares close at two-week top; NZ shares hold ground

[MELBOURNE] Australian shares rose 2.25 per cent on Thursday, marking their highest close since Feb 2, buoyed by a pick up in energy and resource stocks following a bounce in oil and a revival in commodities companies.

The S&P/ASX 200 index was up by 109.9 points at the close of trade at 4,992, near the intraday high of 4,992.60.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index climbed 0.4 per cent or 25.52 points to finish the session at 6,111.09, close to one-week high struck the session before.

REUTERS