By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 10.2 points or 0.2% to 6,506.4 after the first hour of Wednesday’s trade, extending gains of 0.4% in the previous session ad lifting from recent 3-month lows as U.S. equities continued to decline overnight.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.6% higher.
Among stocks, Energy led the increases, up 2.6% overall. Woodside Energy Ltd (ASX:WDS) gained 3.4%, Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) added 2.4%, Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) lifted 4.6% and Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX:VEA) gained 1.2%.
Utilities lifted 1.4% overall, with Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG) up 2%, Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX:MCY) down 0.8% and AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) adding 2.2%.
Materials also gained 1.1% as Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) gained 0.9%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) advanced 2.1%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) slipped 0.2% and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) lifted 1.1%.
Meantime, the rate-sensitive Real estate sector led the market lower, falling 0.7% as Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) fell 0.7%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) lost 0.3%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) dipped 1.5% and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) fell 0.8%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year bond yields were at 4.103% while United States 10-Year yields were at 3.966%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.2% to 11,240.9.