May 28 (Reuters) - Australian shares jumped on Thursday to a two-and-a-half-month high, supported by financials after comments from the central bank governor bolstered hopes of a quicker-than-expected economic recovery from the sharp coronavirus-driven downturn.
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe said better-than-feared health outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia suggested the economic downturn would likely not be as severe as earlier thought. has so far been successful in curbing the spread of the coronavirus with total cases slightly above 7,100 and 103 deaths, helping it reopen its economy earlier than expected.
Lowe said employment in the June quarter might have fallen by only 15% from a year earlier, less than the previous 20% estimate, easing qualms regarding unemployment in the country. S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was up 2.15% at 5,899.3 by 0048 GMT, after hitting its highest level since March 11 earlier in the day.
Financial stocks .AXFJ rose 4.36%, led by Credit Corp Group Ltd CCP.AX , which climbed 8.33%, and Hub24 Ltd HUB.AX , which added 7.7%.
The ASX 300 metals and mining index .AXMM rose 1.65%, with shares of Mount Gibson Iron Ltd MGX.AX and Bellevue Gold Ltd BGL.AX gaining 7.03% and 5.56%, respectively.
Technology stocks .AXIJ advanced 1.32%. Nearmap Ltd NEA.AX rose 19.79% and Afterpay Ltd APT.AX added 2.78%.
Gold stocks .AXGD gained 0.92%, led by Bellevue Gold Ltd BGL.AX , up 5.56%, and Resolute Mining Ltd RSG.AX , up 4.98%.
The number of issues on the ASX that advanced were 914 while 308 declined as a 3-to-1 ratio favoured advancers.
In New Zealand, the benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 fell 0.23% to 11,023.2.
The top percentage losers on the index were SKY Network Television Ltd SKT.NZ , down 8.09%, followed by Sanford Ltd SAN.NZ , losing 5.96%, and Goodman Property Trust GMT.NZ , down 5.22%.