By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 13.5 points or 0.2% to 7,135.7 during Thursday’s trade as sentiment remained mixed with Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary lifting while Energy and Materials retreated.
Among stocks, Consumer Staples posted the largest advance, up 1.8% as Woolworths Ltd (ASX:WOW) added 2.1%, Coles Group Ltd (ASX:COL) gained 1.9% and Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX:EDV) lifted 2.3%.
Consumer Discretionary added 1.3% with Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX:DMP) up 2.%, Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (ASX:TAH) adding 2.5%, Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX:ALL) gaining 1% and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX:WES) adding 1.6%.
Meantime, Webjet Ltd (ASX:WEB) popped 10.1% after the company reported better than expected profits.
On the data front, fresh labour data showed an employment change of 32.2K jobs added, while the unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, the lowest reading in almost 50 years.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were at 3.625% while United States 10-Year yields were at 3.717%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.6% to 7,135.7.