By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 55.5 points or 0.8% to 6,945.2 on Friday, extending gains for the fourth consecutive session and closing at 7-week highs as real estate and utilities companies led the gains.
Among stocks, Real estate companies lifted 2.9% overall, with Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) up 4.6%, Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) lifting 1.9%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) up 5.1% and Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) gaining 2.7%.
Utilities added 2.5% collectively as Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX:MCY) gained 1.9%, Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG) added 4.2%, Genesis Energy Ltd (ASX:GNE) lifted 2%, Infratil Ltd (ASX:IFT) gained 7.7% and AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) added 1.2%.
Information Technology added 1.3% with Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) advancing 4.3%, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) up 0.9%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) adding 4%, Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) shedding 14.6% and Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) up 2.5%.
Financials lifted 0.6% with Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) up 1.3%, Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) gaining 0.9%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) up 0.9%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) adding 0.9% and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) up 0.4%.
Meantime, Sezzle Inc (ASX:SZL) retreated 19.6% amid volatile trading after it told investors it expected to be profitable by Christmas while Zip Co Ltd (ASX:ZIP) shed 25.3%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were 3.088% while United States 10-Year yields were at 2.678%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 1.5% to 11,492.7.