The Australian stock market is trading marginally higher on Friday with investors treading cautiously and indulging in some selective buying ahead of the weekend.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index, which advanced to 4,598.5 in early trades, is currently up 9.8 points or 0.2% at 4,592. The broader All Ordinaries index is up 5.7 points or 0.1% at 4,627.
On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 index ended up 45 points or 1% at 4,582.2, while the All Ordinaries index rose 43 points or 0.9% to 4,621.3.
Among bank stocks, ANZ Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank and Westpac are up 0.3%-1%. Bendigo & Adelaide Bank and Bank of Queensland are up with marginal gains.
Among mining stocks, BHP Billiton is up 0.3% and Rio Tinto is gaining about 0.4%, while Fortescue Metals and Newcrest Mining are trading lower by 0.6% and 1.6% respectively.
In the energy space, Oil Search and Origin Energy are up with modest gains. Woodside Petroleum is trading flat, while Santos is in negative territory with a sharp loss of 2.2%.
In the currency market, the Australian dollar opened at a four-month high and was quoting at US$0.9230-US$0.9232, up from Thursday's close of US$0.9215-US$0.9217. The Australian dollar is currently trading at 0.9233 to the U.S. dollar.
Among other markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are up with notable gains, while Shanghai, New Zealand and Singapore are trading modestly higher. Markets across the region ended mostly higher on Thursday.
On Wall Street, stocks closed with modest gains on Thursday, as jobless claims fell by more than forecast, although dark clouds from the European financial crisis limited the upside.
The major averages saw some downside in late-session dealing but managed to end the day above the unchanged line. The Dow edged up by 28.2 points or 0.3% to 10,415.2, the Nasdaq advanced by 7.3 points or 0.3% to 2,236.2 and the S&P 500 ended up 5.3 points or 0.5% at 1,104.2.
Major European markets ended with strong gains on Thursday. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index and the French CAC 40 index both jumped by 1.2%, while the German DAX index ended 0.9% up.
Crude oil prices settled lower on Thursday, reversing from a multi-week high reached during the session as traders cashed in on profits. Modest strength in the greenback also weighed. Light, sweet crude for October delivery settled down US$0.42 at US$74.25 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after trading as high as US$75.96.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.