Australian shares close higher; U.S. inflation reading in focus
Traders await the U.S. PCE data
Miners hit worst half-year since late 2015
Banks logged best half-year since mid-2021
Updates to close
By Rajasik Mukherjee
June 28 (Reuters) -Australian shares closed higher on Friday, boosted by banks, real estate and tech stocks while traders awaited a U.S. inflation reading due later in the day to gauge the Federal Reserve's monetary policy trajectory.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed 0.1% higher to 7,767.50 at the close of trade. The index snapped a two-session falling streak.
Wednesday's unexpectedly higher inflation reading for May, prompted a bout of jitters over a potential rate hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia, with a few brokerages forecasting one in August. The RBA's key interest rate is currently at a 12-year high of 4.35%.
"Overall uncertainty by way of central bank policy and the response expectations from the RBA has given us a lacklustre return on the ASX this year," said Brad Smoling, managing director at Smoling Stockbroking.
Investors awaited the U.S. personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation. A hotter-than-expected PCE data would push back rate-cut hopes among investors.
In Australia, rate-sensitive financials gained 0.8% with three of the "Big Four" banks rising between 0.2% and 0.6%. The sub-index logged its best half-year since mid-2021.
Suncorp SUN.AX soared 3.4%, hitting its highest level since 2007, on receiving clearance on ANZ Group's ANZ.AX buyout of the former's banking business.
Another rate-sensitive sub-index, real estate .AXRE rose as much as 0.3% on Friday, but lost 3.3% this week, its worst since April 19.
Tech stocks .AXIJ gained 0.9% tracking a rise in U.S. peers.
Miners .AXMM lost 1%, with the sub-index posting its worst half-year since late 2015.
Markets in New Zealand were closed for a public holiday.
Reporting by Rajasik Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala
For more information on DIARIES & DATA: U.S. earnings diary RESF/US Wall Street Week Ahead .N/O Global Economy Week Ahead DATA/ ................................................................ For latest top breaking news across all markets NEWS1
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
