Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 0.2%, led by the financial sector.

The S&P/ASX 200 index in Sydney, Australia closed up 0.2% at 8,831.30 points. In the previous trading session, the index fell 0.3%. Today, financial stocks led the market, with 8 of 11 sectors rising; 113 of the 200 stocks advanced and 73 declined. Commonwealth Bank of Australia contributed the most to the index's gain, rising 0.9%. Mesoblast Ltd. posted the largest gain, up 5.7%. So far this year, the index has risen 1.3% and is on track for its best performance since 2025; this month, the index has gained 0.5%.