End-of-day summary:
The share market posted its highest close in more than a week following a second night of gains on Wall Street and confirmation that the Reserve Bank will consider cutting interest rates next month.
The ASX 200 nudged up 13 points or 0.17% to 7762.
CSL, QBE, the banks and major iron ore producers provided much of the momentum, offsetting declines in supermarkets and most of the tech companies.
The minutes from this month's RBA policy meeting showed policymakers did not feel there had been sufficient change in the Australian economy to justify lowering rates. However, the bank was alert to risks to the global economy that "had increased and were tilted to the downside".
"Members observed that the May meeting would be an opportune time to revisit the monetary policy setting with the benefit of additional data about inflation, wages, the labour market and trends in economic activity, along with a fresh set of economic forecasts and further information about the likely evolution of global trade policies. Collectively, this information would have a considerable bearing on their decision," the minutes noted.
US stocks rose for a second night after the Trump administration flagged a potential delay in automotive tariffs and possible exemptions for imported tech, including computers and smartphones. The S&P 500 rallied 0.79%
