AU Morning Wrap: ASX Rises; Adore Board Rejected THG Cash Offer

The $S&P 500 Index (.SPX.US)$ rose 0.1 per cent, while the tech-heavy $Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC.US)$ fell 0.1 per cent. The blue-chip $Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI.US)$ gained 0.3 per cent, or 117 points. Friday's trading session was shorter than usual due to the Thanksgiving holiday, with relatively light trading volume.

The benchmark $S&P/ASX 200 (.XJO.AU)$ rose 0.1 per cent or 9.3 points to 7050.1 at the start of trade, led by gains in the interest rate sensitive information technology sector.

$QBE Insurance Group Ltd (QBE.AU)$: QBE rallied 1.2 per cent after the general insurer said it expects gross written premium growth of around 10 per cent for financial year 2023. "We expect the supportive premium rate environment should continue into 2024," the company said in its latest trading update.

$Future Generation Global Ltd (FGG.AU)$: Former Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott has been appointed chairwoman of the $460 million ASX-listed philanthropic vehicle Future Generation Global.

$Healius Ltd (HLS.AU)$: Healius climbed 6.5 per cent following news that chairwoman Jenny Macdonald will not stand for re-election at the company's 2023 annual general meeting.

$Perseus Mining Ltd (PRU.AU)$: Gold producer Perseus added 1.2 per cent after it acquired a 15 per cent stake in listed miner OreCorp.

$Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ABY.AU)$: Cosmetics retailer Adore Beauty board rejected THG’s cash offer of $1.25 to $1.30 a share.

Trading Ex-div: $Red Hill Minerals Ltd (RHI.AU)$, $Whitefield Industrials Ltd (WHF.AU)$