By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 15.9 points or 0.2% to 6,823.2, extending gains of 0.3% in the previous session after recovering from a broadly flat start to push higher in the afternoon.
Among stocks, Health Care led the gains, up 1.2% as CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) gained 1.8%, Resmed Inc (ASX:RMD) added 0.7%, Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) lifted 2.7% and Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) gained 8%.
Financials added 1.1% with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) up 0.4%, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) adding 2.2%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) lifting 1.4% and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) gaining 1.3% while Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) fell 1.1%.
Meantime, Zip Co Ltd (ASX:ZIP) extended its recent rally, up 21% while Sezzle Inc (ASX:SZL) also popped 95.8% before entering a trading halt “pending a further announcement”.
Materials led losses, down 1.2% as Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) and BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) dipped 2% apiece, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) fell 2.8% and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) lost 4.5%.
On the data front, Australia's annual inflation rate lifted to 6.1% in Q2 to touch the highest levels since 2001.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were 3.275% while United States 10-Year yields were at 2.801%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 fell 0.3% to 11,135.