FX.co ★ Australian Shares Rise for 6th Straight Session

The S&P/ASX 200 Index saw a positive uptick of 0.24%, closing at 8,146 on Thursday, marking its sixth straight session of advances. Investor confidence was buoyed by enhanced global trade prospects and favorable domestic economic indicators. U.S. President Donald Trump bolstered market sentiment by hinting at potential trade deals with India, Japan, and South Korea, alongside a hopeful outlook for an agreement with China. Domestically, Australia reported a trade surplus of A$6.9 billion in March, significantly up from a revised A$2.85 billion in February and surpassing the anticipated A$3.13 billion. Furthermore, Australia's manufacturing sector continued its recovery in April, with new order growth hitting its highest rate in nearly two and a half years. Notable gainers included Commonwealth Bank, which rose by 0.4%, Woolworths Group increasing by 1.2%, Telstra Group up by 0.7%, Wesfarmers adding 0.3%, and Transurban Group climbing 1.1%.