By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - the S&P/ASX 200 was 78.00 points or 1.08% higher at 7,284.90 on Wednesday, tracking U.S. equities higher overnight as investors reacted positively to diminishing tension over Ukraine after Russia said it was withdrawing some forces, while local market participants monitored a slew of local earnings reports.
Among stocks, Health Care finished 6.22% higher as CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) surged 8.51% on strong results and guidance. Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX:SHL) added 1.77%, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd (ASX:FPH) gained 4.09%, Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX:RHC) added 1.78%, Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) climbed 3.6% after reporting and Resmed Inc (ASX:RMD) added 2.18%.
Real Estate stocks gained 3.13% overall, with Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) up 2.38%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) adding 3.46%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) up 3.14%, Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) adding 3.3% and Scentre Group Ltd (ASX:SCG) lifting 5.7%.
Technology companies added 1.23% as Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) added 1.79%, Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) gained 0.37%, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) lifted 4.72%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) added 5.45% and Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) gained 3.18%.
Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX:LTR) also surged 17.99% after announcing a deal electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) for the supply of lithium spodumene concentrate to be produced at Liontown’s Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in WA.
Among other reporting companies, Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX:TWE) surged 11.67%, Breville Group Ltd (ASX:BRG) added 2.25%, Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX:FBU) climbed 7.38% and Vicinity Centres Re Ltd (ASX:VCX) firmed 11.01%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at fresh 3-year highs of 2.235% while United States 10-Year rates were at 2.031%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 1.54% to 12121.89.