The S&P/ASX 200 rose 42.90 points or 0.49% to close at 8,869.40, buoyed by strong gains among select mid-cap stocks. HMC Capital Limited led the benchmark with a gain of 8.68%, followed by PolyNovo Limited, which climbed 7.27%. Despite today’s upswing, the ASX 200 remains 1.16% lower over the past five sessions and is still 2.04% below its 52-week peak.
Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index outperformed the broader market, advancing 48.00 points or 1.34% to 3,637.00. The index has added 0.47% over the last five days.