* ASX marks fourth consecutive weekly gain
* Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) climbs 3.3% on higher Q1 shipments
* NZ sees biggest weekly gain on record
* a2 Milk hits record high (Updates to close)
By Arpit Nayak
April 17 (Reuters) - Australian shares settled higher on Friday as investor sentiment was lifted by U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to revive the world's biggest economy almost a month after the coronavirus pandemic shut it down.
Broad-based gains pushed the S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO up 1.3% or 71.2 points to close at 5,487.50. The index clocked its fourth straight weekly gain.
However, the benchmark stock index pulled back from session highs after data showed that Australia's top trade partner China suffered its first economic contraction on record in the first quarter, which was slightly larger than forecasts. hopes that the United States will restart businesses soon to lead the global economic recovery and reports about Gilead's GILD.O drug working as a potential treatment for COVID-19 boosted risk appetite. danger is in opening everything too early and seeing a second wave, but the Gilead drug helps sentiment and life is starting to return to a new normal slightly," said Henry Jennings, senior analyst at Marcustoday Financial Newsletter.
"Here in Australia we seemed to have a dodged a bullet but we can't be complacent," he added. The country's daily growth rate of new infections has steadied but the prime minister has said virus-related curbs may remain in force for another year. New Zealand also warned of the risk of lifting social restrictions too soon, even as the number of coronavirus cases in the country showed a marked decline. stocks .AXHJ gained most, settling 1.3% higher as heavyweight CSL CSL.AX tacked on 1.1% while hospital operator Ramsay Health Care RHC.AX added 4.9%.
The energy sub-index .AXEJ finished 1.3% up, as oil prices reacted positively to plans of reviving the U.S. economy. O/R
Largest natural gas producer Woodside Petroleum WPL.AX moved up 0.8% while Oil Search OSH.AX gained 4.2%.
Amongst miners .AXMM , Rio Tinto Ltd RIO.AX jumped 3.3% after the world's largest iron ore miner reported higher first-quarter shipments and said demand in China showed signs of a recovery. the Tasman sea, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 gained 2.9% or 305.53 points to finish the session at 10,778.72. The index clocked its biggest weekly gain on record.
Local shares of lender Westpac Banking Corp WBC.NZ firmed 1% while dairy producer a2 Milk Co Ltd ATM.NZ rose 1.6% to touch a record high.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Hobbled by coronavirus, China's Q1 GDP shrinks for first time on record
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