Australia stock market today: ASX 200 closes higher as tech rebounds; BlueScope pushes back on $13.2b bid

Australian shares ended higher on Thursday, lifted by a second straight rise in tech and health stocks while miners eased. The S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.29% at 8,720.8, with information technology up 1.73% and healthcare up 1.64%, even as materials fell 1.23%. Market Index