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Australia shares snap three-day losing streak on increase from financials

Australian shares snapped a threeday losing streak on Thursday, assisted by gains in heavyweight banking stocks, while investors digested weakerthanexpected domestic work data and a variety of corporate revenues.

The S&P/ ASX 200 index closed 0.8% higher at 7,605.70. The benchmark had actually slipped 0.7% on Wednesday.

Data showed Australian work was remarkably weak in January, while the unemployed rate climbed to a two-year high, raising the possibility that the labour market may be cooling faster than formerly thought.

The suddenly weak employment data today shows the lagging effect of the RBA's (Reserve Bank of Australia). tightening efforts and a growing cautiousness from the business. viewpoint, said Hebe Chen, a market expert at IG.

Before the next RBA financial meeting, January's regular monthly. inflation report would carry more weight in examining the. outlook for inflation development in Australia, added Chen.

On the other hand, a variety of domestic corporate earnings took centre. phase on Thursday, with Whitehaven Coal and South32. posting lower earnings, while BHP flagged $5.7. billion of problems on the Samarco dam failure and its. Western Australia nickel operations.

Origin Energy closed 2.5% higher, after the energy. merchant published strong hidden profit and projection greater. operating incomes from its energy markets department. Monetary stocks ended about 1% higher. The Big. Four banks got in between 0.1% and 1.5%.

In contrast, mining stocks retreated 0.9% to their. most affordable since Nov. 13, while energy stocks fell 2.1%,. with shares of Woodside decreasing 3%.

Woodside stated it anticipated to identify non-cash post. tax-asset impairments of around $1.5 billion in its financial 2023. revenues.

Tech stocks closed 6.8% higher hitting their greatest. level because early January, 2022.

Altium's shares hit a record high on receiving. a $5.9 billion buyout offer from Japanese chipmaker Renesas. Electronic devices.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/ NZX 50 index closed 0.2%. lower at 11,640.04.