Mining and tech stocks lift Australian shares, WiseTech jumps after CEO takes new role
Oct 25 (Reuters) -Australian shares rose on Friday, led by mining and technology stocks, as WiseTech jumped after its former CEO shifted to a consulting role and Whitehaven Coal gained on better-than-expected quarterly output.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.3% to 8,231.3, as of 2347 GMT. The benchmark is set for a weekly loss of 0.6%, its biggest drop since late September.
Miners .AXMM rose 0.3% and were on track for a weekly gain of 0.1%, their first in the last four weeks, even as iron ore prices fell. IRONORE/
Mining giants BHP BHP.AX rose 0.2%, Rio Tinto RIO.AX added 0.9%, while Fortescue FMG.AX extended losses, shedding 0.1% after it flagged higher costs on Thursday.
Whitehaven WHC.AX rose nearly 8% in its best trading session since mid-August, after the country's top independent coal miner said it was optimistic about metallurgical coal prices gaining further and posted first-quarter output ahead of expectations.
Tracking overnight gains in Wall Street peers, tech stocks .AXIJ rose 5.9% in their best trading session since Feb. 15, after falling for seven sessions. .N
WiseTech Global WTC.AX surged 22.1%, its best trading session since late August, 2021.
The tech giant's billionaire founder and CEO Richard White stepped down but decided to stay at the firm in a consulting role after a series of damaging allegations about his personal life.
Energy stocks .AXEJ rose 0.5% despite a drop in oil prices, with sector major Woodside WDS.AX adding 0.2%, while Santos STO.AX was flat.
Gold stocks .AXGD shed 2.2% even as bullion prices declined. However, Northern Star Resources NST.AX rose 1.4% and Evolution Mining EVN.AX climbed 0.8%.
Qantas Airways QAN.AX added as much as 1.6% to hit a record high after the flag carrier lifted its first-half revenue expectations from its domestic operations, while forecasting lower fuel costs after a drop in global prices.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose 0.1% to 12,821.7.
Reporting by Sneha Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich
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