By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 is higher in Wednesday’s mid-day deals, adding 34.70 points or 0.48% to 7,241.60, retracing losses of 0.5% in the previous session amid several big moves as companies report half-year results, while energy stocks retreated amid signs of easing tensions in Ukraine.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.28% lower.
Among stocks, Health Care companies are up 4.55% collectively, with CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) surging 6.23% after issuing a guidance upgrade and better than expected sales. Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX:SHL) added 0.94%, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd (ASX:FPH) gained 0.76%, Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX:RHC) added 0.79%, Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) climbed 8.57% and Resmed Inc DRC (ASX:RMD) added 1.23%.
Real estate stocks gained 1.49%, with Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) up 0.79%, Charter Hall Group (ASX:CHC) adding 1.39%, Goodman Group (ASX:GMG) up 0.52%, Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX:SGP) adding 1.27% and Scentre Group Ltd (ASX:SCG) lifting 4.36%.
Technology companies added 1.56% as Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) added 1.9%, Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P) gained 3.72%, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) lifted 4.6%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) added 5.45%, Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) climbed 4.95%, Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX:WTC) lifted 1.55% and Nextdc Ltd (ASX:NXT) gained 2.36%.
Materials are underperforming with gold and iron ore miners lower. Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) lost 0.44%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) fell 2.36% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) dipped 1.95% after reporting a 32% dip in net profit for the December half. However, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) added 3.19%, Arizona Lithium Ltd (ASX:AZL) lifted 9.23%, Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) gained 6.47%, Magnis Resources Ltd (ASX:MNS) added 3.78%, Avz Minerals Ltd (ASX:AVZ) rallied 16.44% Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:LYC) lifted 3.62% and Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX:PLL) gained 3.65%.
Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX:LTR) also surged 11.15% after announcing a deal with electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) for the supply of lithium spodumene concentrate to be produced at Liontown’s Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in WA.
Energy stocks were also lower 0.73% overall, with Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) down 0.6%, Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) up 1.37% and Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX:VEA) adding 1.23%. Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) lost 2.77% despite tripling its full-year profit as the global energy crunch pushes prices further out of their pandemic slump.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at fresh 3-year highs of 2.246% while United States 10-Year rates were at 2.04%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 1.06% to 12,064.