Australian, New Zealand shares rise

Australian shares rallied on Wednesday, as US President Donald Trump's positive stance on trade relations with China raised optimism of easing discord between the two nations. The S&P/ASX 200 index traded around half a percent up through most of the day before climbing 1.4 percent to end the session at 5,653.5, moving in line with global markets.
The Australian energy index was the best performer for the day, closing the session 2 percent higher, as energy stocks got a boost from a rise in oil prices. Financials rose 2 percent. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index rose as much as 0.95 percent, its biggest intraday percentage gain in nearly two weeks.