AU Evening Wrap: Australia Shares Edge 0.1% Higher Amid Bank, Supermarket Gains

Australia's $S&P/ASX 200 (.XJO.AU)$ closed 0.1% higher at 7663.0, inching back toward its record high amid strength in bank and supermarket stocks. The ASX 200 is 36.4 points shy of its 7699.4 record close, set on Feb. 2. The benchmark index rallied from an early slip to notch a fourth straight gain, three of which have been by 0.1% or less.

Banks $ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ANZ.AU)$, $National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB.AU)$, $Westpac Banking Corp (WBC.AU)$ and $CommBank (CBA.AU)$ added between 0.5% and 1.0%, helping the heavyweight financial sector rise 0.5%.

The consumer-staples sector was the best performer of the ASX 200's 11 sectors, rising 2.15%. Supermarket operator $Coles Group Ltd (COL.AU)$ jumped 5.5% after reporting H1 earnings. Rival $Woolworths Group Ltd (WOW.AU)$ rose 0.9%.