News: XRO Aus shares end higher on banks, tech boost; US debt ceiling outcome in focus

	  ASX200 up 0.3% for the week 

	  Financials up 1.5%, tech gains 2.2%, gold down 1.2% 

	  NZ50 up 1% 

(Updates to close)

Banking and technology sectors tracked overnight gains on Wall Street to drive Australian shares higher on Friday, backed by mounting optimism that a deal to raise the U.S. debt ceiling could be reached within days.

The S&P/ASX 200 index (xjo) gained 0.6% to close at 7,279.50, its highest since May 2. The benchmark rose 0.3% this week.

U.S. stocks closed higher for a second straight day on Thursday after President Joe Biden and Republican Kevin McCarthy reiterated their aim to strike a deal soon to raise the $31.4 trillion federal debt ceiling and agreed to talk as soon as Sunday.

"We are waiting very much on the debt ceiling outcome right now, and if we get a quick resolve, we will see a decline in the U.S. dollar, which will lift commodity prices, particularly gold," said Brad Smoling, managing director at Smoling Stockbroking.

Back in Sydney, the heavyweight financials sub-index .AXFJ advanced 1.5% with the 'big four' banks up between 1.3% and 1.8%.

Technology stocks .AXIJ advanced 2.2%, tracking gains from the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC . BrainChip Holdings (BRN) and Xero Ltd (XRO) gained 9.3% and 5.4% respectively.

Among individual stocks, Qantas Airways (QAN) said it expects its international capacity to reach pre-COVID levels by March 2024. Shares were up 1.1%.

The insurance broker and agency AUB Group (AUB) jumped 5.9%, its highest in two years, after lifting its profit outlook for fiscal 2023.

Wealth manager AMP Ltd (AMP) was fined $16 million for billing dead clients for insurance and financial advice.

Gold stocks .AXGD ended 1.2% lower as bullion prices were on course for their biggest weekly drop in 3-1/2 months. The country's largest gold miner, Newcrest Mining (NCM) , fell 1.9%.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is expected to hike interest rates by a final quarter point on Wednesday, a Reuters Poll showed.

The benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index (nz50) rose 1%, to close at 12,099.74.