AU Evening Wrap: ASX up 0.9% to nine-week high amid commodities rally; BHP up 5.1%

The $S&P/ASX 200(.XJO.AU)$ has closed at a nine-week high after rising 0.9 per cent, or 62.5 points, to 7341.1. It comes as oil prices returned to two-week highs with US crude at $US115.01 and Brent crude again nudging $US120 a barrel.

$BHP Group Ltd(BHP.AU)$ had it's biggest one-day gains since January 21, rising 5.1 per cent to $48.82, which added 40.6 points. $Rio Tinto Ltd(RIO.AU)$ gained 3 per cent and $South32 Ltd(S32.AU)$ gained 3.1 per cent.

$New Hope Corp Ltd(NHC.AU)$ rallied 8.53 per cent to a three-year high after the company declared a special dividend. Strong coal prices helped the miner swing from a $55.4 million loss in H121 to a net profit of $330.4 million this latest half. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of 17 cents per share and a special dividend of 13 cents per share.

Information technology declined with $Block Inc(SQ2.AU)$ down 5.1 per cent, $Xero Ltd(XRO.AU)$ down 2.6 per cent, and $WiseTech Global Ltd(WTC.AU)$ down 1.1 per cent.

S&P/ASX 200 Movers for Tuesday (3/22)