Australian shares closed at a fresh all-time high



ASX 200 rose 0.1% to a record 8,603, up 1% for the week, best since early June.

Consumer discretionary and real estate stocks gained 0.8% each, buoyed by rate cut optimism.

Healthcare rose 0.7% to a four-month high, while miners slipped 1% on China demand worries.

NZX 50 added 0.5%, marking strongest week since mid-May.