Australian shares inched higher on Thursday as trading resumed after the New Year holiday, with mining, energy and gold stocks leading the recovery on the back of strong underlying commodity prices.
The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.2% to 8,175.5 by 2338 GMT after two straight sessions of falls.
The benchmark climbed about 7.5% last year in its second straight annual gain. Miners rose 0.7% on the back of improving iron ore prices.
Mining behemoths BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Fortescue climbed between 0.6% and 1.6%.
Energy stocks rose 1.1% after oil prices settled higher on Tuesday.
Sector heavyweights Woodside and Santos were up 1.2% and 0.8%, respectively. Gold stocks advanced 0.3%, tracking a rise in bullion prices.
Northern Star Resources and St Barbara were up 0.5% and 2.2%, respectively.
Technology stocks were down 0.7% after their US peers closed lower on Tuesday.
Shares of WiseTech Global and NEXTDC inched lower 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively.
Australian shares fall as miners offset real estate and healthcare gains
In company news, LendLease Group announced the sale of its UK construction business for 35 million pounds ($43.79 million), exiting its international construction operations.
Shares of the company were down 0.2% after rising as much as 2.9% earlier in the day.
Mineral explorer Jervois Global said it had reached an agreement to fund its business. Shares of the company were trading flat.
Markets in New Zealand were closed for a holiday.
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