Australian shares closed the week higher on Friday after media reports that said the US and Iran had agreed to extend the ceasefire in the Middle East.
The S&P/ASX 200 Index jumped 1.62%, or 138.80 points, to close at 8,731.70.
The US and Iran reached an agreement to extend a ceasefire and lift restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources. However, US President Donald Trump has yet to approve the deal, and Iranian state media said it had not yet been finalized.
Brent crude oil futures plunged to around $92 per barrel. The S&P 500 rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq climbed 0.9% on Thursday, setting fresh record highs.
On the domestic front, Australian small and medium enterprises in digitized industries such as finance, property, and business services are using artificial intelligence at two to three times the rate of manufacturing, transport, and retail sectors, according to a report by National Australia Bank. The bank said about 15% of jobs in Australia are highly or significantly exposed to AI.
In company news, Dexus (ASX:DXS) lost its court bid to block the sale of its stake in Melbourne Airport, as the New South Wales Supreme Court ruled that the company was in violation of confidentiality agreements and must dispose of the interest. The company holds a roughly 27.3% stake in Australia Pacific Airports, which owns Melbourne's Tullamarine airport and the Launceston airport in Tasmania.
Worley (ASX:WOR) is considering a potential appeal of an Australian Federal Court decision to uphold a shareholder class action lawsuit related to financial guidance. The court on Thursday ruled that the company misled investors when it issued 2013 earnings guidance, upholding an earlier appeal filed by the shareholders, and ordered Worley to pay the applicant's legal costs.
ANZ Group Holdings (ASX:ANZ, NZE:ANZ) said ANZ Bank New Zealand filed an appeal in the Court of Appeal on Friday against the High Court of New Zealand's judgment against the bank in class action proceedings. The High Court ruled that ANZ Bank New Zealand breached the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 in class action proceedings served in September 2021.