The Australian sharemarket notched a second consecutive record close on Thursday, with strength in technology and healthcare stocks offsetting sharp losses in selected industrial names.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 47.0 points, or 0.5%, to finish at a fresh high of 9,175.3, with seven of the 11 sectors ending the session in positive territory.
Technology led the advance, buoyed by a blockbuster quarterly result from United States chipmaker Nvidia after Wall Street’s close.
Domestically, WiseTech Global added 2.6%, TechnologyOne gained 6.4%, Xero lifted 8.6%, and NextDC posted gains of 2.4%.
Consumer staples also contributed to the benchmark’s rise. Woolworths Group climbed 2%, while Coles Group added 1.7%.
Healthcare stocks further bolstered sentiment. Pro Medicus surged 9.8%, and Ramsay Health Care jumped 10.4% after delivering an underlying interim profit of $171.7 million, comfortably ahead of market expectations.
In the Materials sector, heavyweight miners extended recent gains. BHP Group climbed 2.2% to a fresh record high, while Rio Tinto advanced 3.7%. Fortescue Metals, however, slipped 1.4%.
Industrials lagged, dragged lower by a sharp sell-off in Qantas Airways. The airline plunged 9.2% after its interim dividend and profit fell short of expectations, fuelling concerns about softening demand.
Among other corporate movers, IDP Education gained 7.6% as management lifted full-year earnings guidance to between $120 million and $130 million.
Luxury online retailer Cettire tumbled 25.6% after swinging to a net loss of $1.1 million in the first half, compared with a $4.7 million profit a year earlier.
Defence technology group DroneShield rallied 8.9% after securing $21.7 million in counter-drone military contracts.
Super Retail Group gained 8.4% on the back of stronger sales. However, the retailer reported a 20% drop in first-half profit, citing increased discounting in its auto and sports divisions.
In fixed income markets, Australian government bond yields edged lower, with the 10-year yield easing 0.3% to 4.707% and the two-year yield slipping 0.1% to 4.217%.
