News: XIJ Australia shares mark over 14-month closing high on mining, healthcare boost

• ASX200 closes at its highest since Feb 21, 2020
• ANZ's first-half cash profit more than doubles
• NZ50 slides 0.5% in its worst session in 2 weeks

(Updates to close)

Australian shares finished at their highest level in more than 14 months on Wednesday, buoyed by commodity and healthcare-related stocks, although tech stocks tracked their U.S. peers lower to curb further gains.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) rose 0.4% to 7,095.80, its highest close since Feb. 21, 2020, and marking its third consecutive session of gains.

Investors shrugged off a weak overnight session on Wall Street, when mega-cap growth stocks were sold off after comments by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the potential need for interest rate hikes, which she later downplayed.

The Australian metals and mining sub-index .AXMM rose 0.5%, hitting its highest level since May 29, 2008. Mining giants BHP Group (BHP) and Rio Tinto (RIO) gained 1.1% and 1.2%, respectively.

The miners benefited as copper prices rose past a key psychological level of $10,000 a tonne, buoyed by optimism about global economic recovery.

Financials .AXFJ added 0.6%, with top lender Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) adding 2.5%, while insurer QBE Insurance Group (QBE) rose 4.1%.

Fourth-largest lender Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) said it would consider returning capital to shareholders as its first-half profit more than doubled, but its shares still ended 3.2% lower.

Shares of Westpac Banking Corp (WBC) closed marginally lower after the Australian securities regulator accused the lender of insider trading while financing a A$16 billion ($12 billion) Ausgrid privatisation in 2016.

Shares of export-focused healthcare companies .AXHJ climbed nearly 1%, tracking the U.S. dollar rally. Index heavyweight CSL Ltd (CSL) gained the most on the sub-index, up 2.4%.

Technology stocks .AXIJ declined 1.1%, tracking the Nasdaq's .IXIC tumble overnight, with buy-now-pay-later giant Afterpay Ltd (APT) losing 3.5%.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) declined 0.5% to 12,848.31, snapping a five-day gaining streak to post its biggest drop since April 21.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand said the country has come through the COVID-19 pandemic better than initially feared, but warned that financial vulnerabilities remain.