By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 finished Thursday’s session 7.90 points or 0.11% higher at 7,407.30, reflecting a mixed session on Wall Street overnight as investors minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers flagged a potential increase in the target range for the federal funds rate sooner that currently anticipated.
Among stocks, heavyweight miners boosted the main index on the back of stronger iron ore prices. Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) was up 1.64%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) gained 0.99% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lifted 1.76%.
Tech companies lifted on easing bond yields overnight, with Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) up 2.74%, Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) adding 0.18%, Technology One Ltd (ASX:TNE) lifting 4.27% and Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) up 2.3%. BNPL names also lifted, as Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) gained 4.19% and 2.45% respectively.
Financials closed mostly lower as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) lost 0.72%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) fell 0.87%, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) lost 1.45%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) fell 0.46% and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) shed 0.78%.
Energy stocks also fell, with Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) down 1.02%, Oil Search Ltd (ASX:OSH) losing 0.24%, Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) falling 0.22% and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) down 1.95%.
EML Payments Ltd (ASX:EML) surged 31.27% after noting that the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) will permit its Irish subsidiary to sign new customers and launch new programs.
Meantime, AMP Ltd (ASX:AMP) shed 5%, reversing a rally earlier in the week, while Kogan.com Ltd (ASX:KGN) fell 4.28% following its annual general meeting in which it faced a second strike on a remuneration vote.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at 1.876%, while United States 10-Year rates were at 1.643%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 0.45% to 12,828.