AXJO crosses the 9,200 mark for the first time
Miners hit record high
Qantas shares slump as much as 10.1%
Updates to close
By Shruti Agarwal
Feb 26 (Reuters) - Australian shares scaled an all-time high for a second straight session on Thursday, powered by heavyweight miners, healthcare majors and tech stocks on a buoyant earnings season and firmer commodity prices.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed 0.5% higher at 9,175.30 points after breaching the 9,200 level for the first time earlier in the session. The benchmark had notched a record close of 9,128.30 on Wednesday.
Miners .AXMM climbed 1.2% to close at a new peak.
"Miners are still enjoying strong earnings momentum, with most seeing meaningful earnings upgrades and paying out sizable dividends," said Jun Bei Liu, portfolio manager at Ten Cap. The sector will continue to log inflows directed out of growth stocks, she added.
Index heavyweight BHP BHP.AX climbed 2.2% to close at a record high of A$57.75, while Rio Tinto RIO.AX added 3.7%. A rise in copper prices due to the post-Lunar New Year pickup in Chinese import demand added to the gains. MET/L
Healthcare stocks .AXHJ rose 1.6%, with hospital operator Ramsay Health Care RHC.AX jumping 10.4% on beating first‑half profit expectations. Telix Pharmaceuticals TLX.AX advanced 10.9%.
Technology stocks .AXIJ jumped 5.2%, tracking a global rally after Nvidia's blockbuster results calmed AI jitters.
Qantas Airways slumped as much as 10.1% after its international arm posted an unexpected profit drop, pressured by rising expenses and weaker U.S.-bound economy travel demand.
Energy .AXEJ and gold stocks .AXGD capped gains, falling 1.5% and 0.8%, respectively.
Data released on Wednesday showed Australian consumer prices rose more than expected in January, heightening the risk of a follow-up interest rate hike. Banks .AXFJ finished little changed.
The shift away from rate‑sensitive stocks has been building in recent months, and Liu sees further selling, noting that markets have not fully priced in the high probability of a May hike.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 closed up 1.1% at 13,670.71 points.
For more information on DIARIES & DATA:
U.S. earnings diary RESF/US
Wall Street Week Ahead .N/O
Global Economy Week Ahead DATA/
................................................................
For latest top breaking news across all markets NEWS1
(Reporting by Shruti Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman)