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Australian shares track Wall Street greater as US information relieves economic downturn fears

Australian shares opened higher on Friday, in tandem with Wall Street's over night strength, as U.S. jobs information soothed financier fears over a possible recession, while regional gold and energy stocks tracked a rise in product costs.

The S&P/ ASX 200 index was up 0.6% at 7,727.8 points, as of 0034 GMT. The benchmark closed 0.2% lower on Thursday.

Information revealed the number of brand-new applications recently for welfare fell more than anticipated in the United States, relieving concerns of an impending downturn worldwide's. largest economy.

Back in Sydney, energy stocks added 1.1% as oil. costs settled greater after U.S. jobs information relieved need. issues while the Middle East war assisted rates recover from. multi-month lows.

Nevertheless, Brent crude futures dipped 0.1% to $79.09 a. barrel while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude. also lost 0.1% to $76.11 per barrel.

Shares of Woodside and Santos got 1.1%. and 0.9%, respectively.

Australian gold stocks climbed up 2.6% as prices of. safe-haven bullion leapt more than 1% overnight.

Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining. increased 2.3% and 2%, respectively.

Mining companies, which were up 1%, joined the rally. with sector giants BHP Group and Rio Tinto. rising 0.6% and 0.8%, respectively.

Financiers discovered convenience in a local report that international miner. BHP was set to reopen its Cerro Colorado copper mine in Chile. towards completion of the decade.

The U.S. S&P 500 index climbed up 2.3% on Thursday,. while Nasdaq got 2.8%. S&P 500 E-minis futures. were down 0.07% while the yield on benchmark 10-year. Treasury notes rose to 3.98% compared with its U.S. close of 3.997%.

The Aussie dollar was 0.1% stronger versus the greenback to. A$ 0.66 on Friday.

Financials included 0.5%. Among individual stocks,. Australian insurer QBE Insurance dropped 2.7% after. missing quotes for its interim results.

Shares of REA Group rose as much as 4.7% after the. News Corp-owned realty firm posted greater annual earnings and. raised its dividend.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/ NZX 50 index was up 0.6%. at 12,326.1 points.

(source: Reuters)