ASX 200 Surges 2.6% at Finish

The ASX 200 surged 231 points or 2.6% to close at 9,065 on Thursday, reversing prior losses and reaching a two-month high. Sentiment improved following a Wall Street rally Wednesday after a Democratic sweep in the U.S. midterm elections boosted global risk appetite. Most sectors in Australian markets advanced, led by tech, non-energy minerals, and healthcare. Nextdc jumped 51% after saying stake-building by entities linked to Goodman Group and Digital Realty was opportunistic rather than a takeover bid. Mining giants BHP Group (6.2%) and Rio Tinto (7%) also rallied as copper and iron ore prices rebounded. Further, higher gold prices and a weaker U.S. dollar lifted Northern Star Resources (9.9%) and Evolution Mining (14.2%). Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia also gained over 4% amid lower oil prices. Conversely, energy stocks slumped, with Woodside Energy falling 6.0% and Santos losing 5.4%. Three of the four major banks also declined, shedding between 0.6% and 5.4%.