AU Evening Wrap: Australia Shares Add 0.45% as Mining Stocks Rebound

$S&P/ASX 200(.XJO.AU)$ closed 0.45% higher at 7615.8 as mining stocks bounced from two days of heavy selling. Shares of lithium, iron-ore and gold miners all gained, helping the benchmark index build on a positive lead from U.S. equities and spend all day in positive territory.

$Rio Tinto Ltd(RIO.AU)$, $Fortescue Ltd(FMG.AU)$ and $BHP Group Ltd(BHP.AU)$ added between 0.9% and 1.0%. Lithium miners $Mineral Resources Ltd(MIN.AU)$, $Liontown Resources Ltd(LTR.AU)$ and $Pilbara Minerals Ltd(PLS.AU)$ put on between 2.9% and 5.6%. The materials sector gained 1.1%, but remains 2.75% lower so far this week.

The heavyweight financial sector rose 0.3%, its gains pared by $National Australia Bank Ltd(NAB.AU)$'s 0.2% slip on the announcement that its CEO will step down in April.

The energy sector retreated 0.95% as $Santos Ltd(STO.AU)$ gave up 5.8% after ending merger talks with larger rival $Woodside Energy Group Ltd(WDS.AU)$ .