By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 remained little changed after the first hour of Thursday’s trade, following gains of 0.4% in the previous session as investors digested the latest FOMC meeting minutes which showed policymakers agreeing to raise interest rates 50 basis points over the next two months.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.2% lower.
Among stocks, Information Technology was the most improved, adding 2.4% collectively with Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) adding 1.9%, Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) gaining 5.7% and Altium Ltd (ASX:ALU) up 2.4%. Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) also popped 28.4% following a takeover bid.
Real estate stocks moved 0.6% higher with Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) adding 0.7%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) up 1.8%, Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) lifting 0.5% and Scentre Group Ltd (ASX:SCG) up 0.9%.
Financials were 0.6% higher overall as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) added 0.1%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) lifted 0.9%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) gained 0.7%, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) added 1.1% and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) gained 0.7%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at 3.237% while United States 10-Year rates were at 2.774%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.3% to 11,204.