The Australian sharemarket started 2025 on a positive note, shrugging off weaker-than-expected PMI data and technical issues to close higher on its first trading day of the year.
The S&P/ASX 200 gained 42.1 points, or 0.5%, to end at 8,201.2, with nine out of 11 sectors finishing in the green.
Energy, Real Estate, and Materials led the gains, supported by robust performances from major mining stocks.
BHP rose 0.6%, Rio Tinto advanced 1%, and Fortescue Metals surged 3.1%. Lithium miner Liontown Resources saw the biggest gains, rallying 7.6%, while Paladin Energy climbed 4.5%.
Real estate companies also closed higher, with Goodman Group and Charter Hall up 1.1% each and Scentre Group rising 1.8%.
On the bond markets, Australian government bond yields edged higher. The 10-year yield rose 0.8% to 4.44%, while the 2-year yield inched up 0.1% to 3.893%.
