By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The ASX 200 added 17.30 points or 0.23% to 7,382.10 on Thursday, extending slim gains for the third consecutive session as market participants digested positive updates on the coronavirus Omicron variant, while improving U.S. consumer confidence and gross domestic product growth also boosted risk appetite.
ASX 200 Futures were trading 0.27% lower.
Among stocks, major miners started lower with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) down 0.12%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) down 0.87% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) falling 1.9%. however, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) gained 2.2%, Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) added 2.84%, while gold miners also gained. Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) was up 0.88%, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) added 1.17%, Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) gained 2.96% and Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) surged 4.52%.
Real estate names were higher as Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) gained 0.69%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) added 0.13%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) was up 0.54% and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) added 0.7%.
Financials also lifted with Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) up 0.6%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) adding 0.15%, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) lifting 0.24% and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) up 0.25%.
Technology stocks were mixed with Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) down 0.46%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) up 1.73%, Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX:LNK) adding 0.18%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) down 1.07% and Altium Ltd (ASX:ALU) up 1.04%.
BNPL names were also mixed with Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) up 0.93% while Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT) lost 1.44%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were flat at 1.616% while United States 10-Year rates were at 1.457%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 was up 0.15% to 12,885.