News: XIJ Australian shares end higher on bank, tech boost after Fed holds rate

	  Tech stocks up 3.2%, banks gain 1.4% 

	  Real estate sub-index up 2.4% 

	  RBA meets on Nov .7 

(Updates to close)

Australian shares ended higher for a third consecutive session on Thursday, led by gains in tech stocks and financials, tracking the overnight rally on Wall Street after the U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) rose 0.9% to 6,899.7. The benchmark had gained 0.9% on Wednesday.

Overnight, the Fed held the policy rate steady in its current 5.25%-5.50% range.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell's comments fueled investor optimism that rate hikes were done even though the central bank left the door open for more.

Locally, investors awaited the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) meeting on Nov. 7.

"Strong consumer price index (CPI) and retail sales should be enough to see further RBA tightening in November after four consecutive pauses," analysts at Bank of America said in a note.

BofA expects a 25-basis-point hike to take the cash rate to 4.35% with the RBA likely to retain its hawkish bias.

In Sydney, technology stocks .AXIJ jumped 3.2%, marking their biggest gain since Aug. 24, tracking the rise in the tech-heavy Nasdaq. Tech major Megaport (MP1) gained 3%.

Financials .AXFJ climbed 1.4%, with the country's four large banks up between 1.5% and 2.1%.

Real estate shares .AXRE closed 2.4% higher, with property major Charter Hall Group (CHC) gaining 5%.

Heavyweight miners .AXMM rose 0.5%, after iron ore extended gains for a second consecutive session on Thursday.

Sector majors BHP Group (BHP) and Rio Tinto (RIO) gained 0.4% and 1.1%, respectively.

Energy stocks .AXEJ fell 2% with Woodside Energy (WDS) and Santos (STO) losing 2.5% and 3%, respectively.

Gold stocks .AXGD fell 1.3%, with top gold miner Northern Star Resources (NST) dropping 2.6%.

In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) rose 1.8% to 11,044.44 points.