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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index experienced a slight uptick of 0.13%, concluding at 8,279 on Wednesday, marking the sixth consecutive session of upward momentum. This rally was largely driven by robust performances in the commodity and banking sectors. Investors' mood remained positive, benefiting from a softening in global trade tensions. This shift followed a recent agreement between the United States and China to temporarily scale back tariffs, easing fears of a prolonged trade conflict and its possible adverse effects on worldwide economic growth. Given Australia's substantial export ties with China, the local market is particularly sensitive to shifts in US-China trade dynamics. Among the leading performers were BHP Group, rising by 0.6%; Woodside Energy, surging 3.4%; Commonwealth Bank, with a 0.8% gain; and NAB, increasing by 1.4%. Conversely, Aristocrat Leisure saw a significant decline of 8.9% after the gaming and entertainment company announced first-half earnings that did not meet market expectations.