The Australian S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 1.8%, led by BHP Billiton.

The S&P/ASX 200 index in Sydney, Australia rose for the second consecutive day, increasing by 1.8% or 154.95 points to close at 8534.30 points. This is the largest gain since a 1.9% increase on February 9th. BHP Group contributed the most to the index's rise, with a 3.3% increase. DroneShield Limited had the largest increase, rising by 19.3%. Today, out of the 200 stocks, 168 rose and 26 fell; out of the 11 sectors, 8 rose, with the materials sector leading the gains. The index has fallen by 2.1% this quarter and by 7.2% this month.