By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The ASX 200 added 75.6 points or 1.05% during Thursday’s trade, extended gains of 1.2% in the previous session and tracking a strong rally in U.S. equities overnight as Federal Reserve officials lifted rates 0.25%, while local data showed that the jobless rate fell to its lowest level since mid-2008.
The Tech sector led the gains up 3.55% with Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) rallying 10.2%, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) up 0.14%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) adding 4.2%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) gaining 7.46%, Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) adding 6.45%, Altium Ltd (ASX:ALU) up 2.73%, Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) adding 3.01% and Technology One Ltd (ASX:TNE) up 0.36%.
Materials were up 1.36% collectively, with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) adding 1.57%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) up 1.11%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lifting 4.43%, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) adding 3.85%, Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) gaining 5.99%, Avz Minerals Ltd (ASX:AVZ) adding 3.05% and Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX:PLL) up 8.14%.
Financials also lifted 1%, as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) added 1.14%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) gained 1.32%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) lifted 1.27%, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) eased 0.04% and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) added 1.33%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates held near 39-month peaks of 2.504% while United States 10-Year rates were at 34-month highs 2.14%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 1.05% to 11,998.