News: XMM Gold, IT stocks buoy Aussie shares; traders assess US jobs data

	  U.S. jobs data showed signs of healthy economy 

	  Beach Energy slumps on raising cost estimates for gas 

project

	  RBNZ cash rate decision due later this week 

(Updates to close)

Australian shares ended slightly higher on Monday, led by gains in information technology and gold stocks, tracking U.S. peers after strong jobs data put aside risks of a recession in the world's largest economy.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) closed 0.2% higher at 7,789.100 after ending 0.6% lower on Friday.

"The Australian market kicked off the new week with a modest uptick, buoyed by a tech sector rally of over 1%, mirroring the performance of its counterparts on Wall Street ahead of the weekend," said Hebe Chen, market analyst at IG Markets.

Globally, market participants digested data from the U.S. Labor Department which suggested that more workers were hired in March, but also pointed towards a possibility of the Federal Reserve delaying rate cuts.

Investors now await the U.S. consumer price index data, due later this week, for cues on the Fed's stance on monetary policy easing.

In the resource-heavy bourse, bellwether miners .AXMM rose 0.5% with mining major Rio Tinto (RIO) gaining 1%.

IT stocks .AXIJ rose 1.2%, with Wisetech Global (WTC) and the local shares of Block Inc SQ.N gaining 0.8% and 2%, respectively.

Gold stocks .AXGD climbed 2.7% buoyed by bullion hitting a fresh record high.

Financials .AXFJ inched up 0.1%, with the "Big Four" banks gaining between 0.1% and 0.4%.

Energy sector .AXEJ fell 1.2% as oil prices dipped after Israel withdrew more soldiers from southern Gaza and committed to fresh talks on a potential ceasefire in the six-month conflict.

Oil and gas explorer Beach Energy (BPT) tumbled 15% after it raised cost estimates for its Waitsia Stage 2 gas project in Western Australia.

New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) ended the day 0.3% lower to finish the session at 11,973.5900.

Market participants expect the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to stay pat on interest rates in a meeting later this week, a Reuters poll showed.