INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Australian shares surged past the 7,000 level for the first time ever on Thursday, as demand for risky assets increased after China and the
United States signed a deal to defuse their trade war that has roiled financial markets over the last 18 months.
The S-P/ASX 200 index rose
0.7 per cent to a record close of 7,041.80, after a 0.5 per cent gain on Wednesday
Across the Tasman Sea, the New Zealand benchmark S-P/NZX 50 index also posted a record closing high, climbing 0.5 per cent to 11,737.86.
"As
the ASX 200 reaches the 7,000 level, it will likely trigger some investors to review their portfolios, causing them to become more active
when it comes to investing," Anthony Doyle, cross-asset specialist at Fidelity International, said in a note.
"Behavioural economists will
tell you that big, round numbers (like 7,000) can have a large influence on investor emotion and behaviour."
The rally came as markets
cheered the signing of the US-China trade deal that will roll back some tariffs and boost Chinese purchases of certain American goods.
The
long-drawn trade conflict has rattled global financial markets, led to a slowdown in world economic growth, and struck recession
alarms.
"The signing should allay worries further as US-China trade policy is seemingly now on cruise control until after the election,"
RBC Capital Markets analysts said in a note to clients.
Australia's financial stocks, which account for almost one-third of the local
benchmark index, rose about 1 per cent to a two-month closing high.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia advanced about 1 per cent to its highest
3, 2017, and was the best performer among the 'big four' lenders.
Mining shares settled marginally higher, with gains in gold stocks
offsetting losses in iron ore and rare earths miners.
Both BHP Group, the world's largest miner, and peer Rio Tinto eased about 0.1 per
cent.
Lynas Corp, the only major proven producer of rare earths outside China, closed flat, after China agreed to buy two types of the
17-version metal stable - scandium and yttrium - from the United States as part of the initial trade deal.
The energy sub-index edged down
0.1 per cent, dragged by industry heavyweight Santos, which fell 1.2 per cent, and Oil Search, which tumbled 0.8 per cent.
However, Woodside
Petroleum, the country's largest listed oil and gas explorer, gained 0.6 per cent after it posted a near 7 per cent rise in fourth-quarter
production and forecast higher output for 2020
