By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 56 points or 0.8% to 7,104.1 during Friday’s trading session, finishing the week with gains of 0.2% as market participants digested a slew of local earnings reports ahead of a upcoming speech from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell.
Among stocks, Energy companies led the gains, adding 1.3%, with Woodside Energy Ltd (ASX:WDS) up 1.2%, Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) gaining 1.2%, Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) adding 0.3% and Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX:VEA) gaining 6.9%.
Materials gained 1.1% with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) lifting 1.4%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) up 1.5%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) adding 3.8% and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) increasing 4.2%.
Health Care finished 1.1% higher as Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX:SHL) lost 1.1%, CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) lifted 2% and Resmed Inc (ASX:RMD) added 0.8%.
Among reporting stocks, Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX:BGA) finished 11.8% higher following earnings, while Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX:QAN) extending yesterday’s gains to close 6.6% higher.
On the bond markets Australia 10-Year rates were at 3.594% while United States 10-Year yields were at 3.058%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 fell 0.2% to 11,608.3.