By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 43.2 points or 0.58% to 7460.2 during Thursday’s session, reversing losses of 0.27% in the previous session, lifted by a positive close on Wall Street overnight as a jump in crude oil prices boosted energy stocks.
In coronavirus news, Victoria tallied a yearly high of 514 cases today as Premier Daniel Andrews slightly eased lockdown restrictions for vaccinated residents, New South Wales tallied 1351 cases as Premier Gladys Berejiklian eased curfew restrictions after hitting its 80% single dose vaccination target.
Among stocks, miners closed mixed with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) down 0.93%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) adding 0.87% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) plunging 3.37%. Meantime, energy stocks lifted as oil prices jumped, with Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) gaining 1.76%, Oil Search Ltd (ASX:OSH) adding 2.09% and Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) up 2.51%.
On the data front, the Australian unemployment rate dipped to 4.5% in August, falling for the 10th consecutive month and posting its lowest reading in 14 years, with employment falling by a greater than expected 146k, while the measure of “total hours worked” dropped 6.5% in New South Wales and 3.4% in Victoria, revealing the impact of extended lockdowns.
In New Zealand, the nz50 lost 52.98 points or 0.4% to 13079.51.