News: XMM Australian shares end higher, investors eye US jobs data

	  Gold stocks rally 2.5%  

	  U.S. private payrolls growth slows sharply in Sept 

	  NZ shares rise  

(Updates to close)

Australian shares closed higher on Thursday, lifted by a rally in gold and tech stocks as a softer rise in U.S. private payrolls increased hopes that the Federal Reserve might not keep rates higher for much longer, while a dip in U.S. bond yields helped prop-up sentiment.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) rose 0.5% to 6890.2. The benchmark had slipped to an 11-month low dropping 0.8% on Wednesday.

Market sentiment eased after U.S. private payrolls increased far less than expected in September.

"The ASX200 is on track for its first positive session this week and in October, following a relief rally on Wall Street as US yields eased following the release of cooler-than-expected US economic data," said IG Markets analyst Tony Sycamore.

Investors now await the Labor Department's more comprehensive employment report on Friday.

"Banks that got bashed yesterday are leading the market higher and 10-year yields have fallen a little helping sentiment," said Henry Jennings, senior market analyst at marcustoday.

In Sydney, gold stocks .AXGD rallied 2.5% after the commodity edged higher on Thursday, set to end its eight-session-long losing streak. GOL/

Sector majors Newcrest Mining (NCM) and Northern Star Resources (NST) rose 1.6% and 4.7% respectively.

Tech stocks .AXIJ also jumped 1.7%, while financials .AXFJ rose 0.8%, with the "big four" banks rising between 0.9% and 1.3%.

Meanwhile, energy stocks .AXEJ dropped 0.9% hit by a dip in oil prices Wednesday night. Prices rebounded on Thursday after an OPEC+ panel maintained oil output cuts to keep supply tight. O/R

Sector behemoths Woodside Energy (WDS) and Santos (STO) fell 0.8% and 0.4%, respectively.

Mining .AXMM companies also lost 0.3% amid concerns around the Chinese economy. Sector behemoths Rio Tinto (RIO) and BHP Group (BHP) fell 1.5% and 0.7% respectively.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) rose 0.66% to end at 11235.05.