The Australian sharemarket broke fresh all-time highs on Friday, closing out the week with strong performances from mining, real estate, and technology stocks.
The S&P/ASX 200 closed 38.6 points higher, rising 0.5% to a fresh record high of 8,532.3, while gaining 1.5% for the week.
Investor concerns over potential tariffs on Chinese imports - which had triggered a sell-off in Australian mining stocks last week - eased, prompting renewed interest in the sector.
Expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could cut interest rates in February boosted real estate stocks.
Goodman Group jumped 1.4%, Charter Hall lifted 1.9% and LendLease popped 2% after agreeing to sell Capella Capital to Sojitz Corporation for $235 million as part of its restructuring strategy.
In technology, Block popped 3.7%, Appen surged 10%, and Xero climbed 2.5%.
Materials also performed well, up 1% overall as BHP rose 1.2%, Rio Tinto gained 0.3%, while Fortescue Metals eased 0.1%.
The utilities sector fell 4.3%, dragged down by Origin Energy, which tumbled 6.7% after cutting its FY25 production outlook for Australia-Pacific LNG.
ResMed also slippped 0.8%, despite quarterly revenue figures beating expectations.
PointsBet also plummeted 12.8% after revising down its full-year guidance due to a weaker-than-expected quarter.
Magellan shares continued their decline, dropping 7.6% following the exit of a senior infrastructure manager and leadership changes.
Among data releases, Australia's producer price index came in at 0.8% in the December quarter, slightly under expectations of 1%, with petroleum refining and fuel manufacturing easing 6.3% amid falling global oil prices.
On the bond markets, 10-year and 2-year rates lifted 1.6% and 0.5%, respectively.
