The Australian sharemarket advanced strongly on Thursday, buoyed by rallies in the major banks and surging gold prices. The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 1.1 per cent, adding 98.8 points to reach 8944.5 by mid-afternoon, with nine of the 11 sectors trading higher.

The Australian sharemarket traded lower on Wednesday as investors weighed the likelihood of a looming US government shutdown. After rising 0.2 per cent in early trade, the S&P/ASX 200 reversed course to fall 34.8 points, or 0.4 per cent, by mid-afternoon. Losses in energy, consumer discretionary and major banks outweighed gains in healthcare and utilities.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has kept the cash rate unchanged at 3.6 per cent, in a unanimous decision that matched market expectations. The board cited lingering uncertainty in the outlook, noting that recent data suggest inflation in the September quarter could exceed its earlier forecasts.

The Australian sharemarket advanced on Monday, supported by strength in the financial and healthcare sectors, with investors cautious ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s board meeting. The S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.7 per cent, or 57.4 points, to 8844.1 in afternoon trade, marking its best gain in a week.

The Australian sharemarket eked out modest gains on Friday as strength in miners and banks outweighed steep losses across the healthcare sector. The S&P/ASX 200 edged 11.6 points higher, or 0.1 per cent, to 8758.6 in early afternoon trade, with four of the 11 industry groups in positive territory.

The Australian sharemarket traded in a choppy fashion on Thursday, with strong gains in heavyweight miners offsetting weakness across property, industrials, technology and retail. The S&P/ASX 200 index edged up 5.6 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 8770.1 by mid-afternoon