By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 44.50 points or 0.59% to 7,567.90 in the first hour of trade on Tuesday, as local markets reopened following public holidays on Friday and Monday. Investors proved optimistic on the Materials and Energy sectors amid higher commodity prices, while information technology struggled as bond yields surged to fresh 7-year highs.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.4% higher.
Among stocks, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) gained 2.1%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) added 2.2% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lifted 1.6%. Rare earth miners surged as Magnis Resources Ltd (ASX:MNS) gained 8.6%, Core Lithium Ltd (ASX:CXO) added 5.1% and Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) gained 8.7%. Gold miners also posted gains after the precious metal neared fresh record highs of $US2070 an ounce overnight. Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX:GOR) rose 2.7%, Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) added 1.1%, Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) gained 3.5% and Chalice Gold Mines Ltd (ASX:CHN) lifted 2.5%.
Energy was up 1% as crude Oil prices gained. Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) added 1.5%, Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) lifted 1.2% and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) added 2.8%.
Information Technology fell 0.5% collectively as Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) lost 2.6%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) dipped 1.1% and Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) lost 0.8% while Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) added 3.3%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) lifted 0.6% and Computershare Ltd. (ASX:CPU) gained 1.3%.
In other news, Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX:SYR) surged 18% following news that the U.S. government will lend up to $US107 million to the company.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at fresh 7-year highs of 3.058% while United States 10-Year rates were at 40-month highs of 2.857%.
Coming up in the session, investors will be keeping a keen eye on the latest RBA meeting minutes as surging inflation pressures push central bank officials to tighten historically loose monetary policy settings.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 fell 0.4% to 11,843.