By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The ASX 200 lifted 36.5 points or 0.48% to 7624.7 on Friday, gaining for the third consecutive session and extending all-time high valuations gains as corporate earnings optimism offset a decline in mining stocks as iron ore prices tumbled.
On the coronavirus front, Victoria reported 15 fresh cases today with 7 among the community while infectious, while the ACT added 3 locally acquired cases after entering a weeklong lockdown yesterday. Queensland tallied 7 local transmissions, all of which were in quarantine for their infectious period. New South Wales added a record 390 cases amid an accelerating outbreak as exposure sites continue to balloon, with health authorities considering a state wide lockdown.
Among stocks, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) fell 1.1%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) slipped 1.34%, and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) dropped 0.98% as Iron ore prices slipped overnight, with futures falling to a four-month low amid regulatory pressure from China. Meantime, Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX:BBN) dropped 10.7% to $5.34 after reporting strong results but warned that sales had slipped in the new financial year.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 88.2 points or 0.7% to 12770.01.