Australian Markets Closed on a High Today

• Australian Markets closed on a strong positive note today as banking shares lead the performers' band wagon. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index opened lower but as the session progressed, ASX 200 rose 46.3 points, or 0.9 per cent, to 5401.7, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 44.2 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 5396.2. All sectors posted gains, with financials jumping 1.1 per cent and materials gaining 0.4 per cent.

• Blue chip stocks were on a gaining spree today and this is how some of the blue chips performed lead by banking shares:

• BHP: +0.2%
• Rio: +0.6%
• ANZ: +1.4%
• CBA: +0.8%
• NAB: +1.5%
• Westpac: +1.1%
• Woolies: +0.2%
• Wesfarmers: flat
• Telstra: +0.8%

ASX 200