Australian shares rose at market close on Wednesday, as the Australian dollar strengthened against the US dollar.

The S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.66%, or 147.40 points, on market close to reach 9,014.80, setting a new 50-day high.

The Australian dollar broke above the $0.71 level on Wednesday for the first time since February 2023. US retail sales stalled in December 2025 as households scaled back spending on automobiles and other big-ticket items, data showed.

Spot gold inched up 0.7% to $5,057.23 per ounce, while spot silver rose 2.3% to $82.56 per ounce.

On the domestic front, the number of loan commitments for dwellings in Australia rose 5.1% to 149,434 between the December 2025 and September 2025 quarters, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics data.

New home loans climbed 4.8% to 88,990, with their total value rising about 11% to AU$65.32 billion, while first home buyer loans increased 6.8% to 31,783, and surged nearly 16% in value to AU$19.31 billion.

In company news, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX:CBA) said its fiscal first-half cash earnings reached AU$3.252 per share, up from AU$3.065 a year earlier. Total net operating income for the six months ended Dec. 31, 2025, was AU$15 billion, compared with AU$14.1 billion a year earlier. Its shares jumped nearly 7% at close.

CSL (ASX:CSL) reported Wednesday fiscal first-half underlying earnings of $4.03 per share, down from $4.29 a year earlier. Revenue for the six months ended Dec. 31, 2025, was $8.33 billion, compared with $8.48 billion a year earlier. Its shares declined 5% at market close, reaching an eight-year low.

Lastly, James Hardie Industries (ASX:JHX) reported Wednesday fiscal third-quarter adjusted earnings of $0.24 per share, down from $0.36 a year earlier. Net sales for the three months ended Dec. 31, 2025, was $1.24 billion, compared with $953.3 million a year earlier. Its shares jumped 11% on market close.