Feb 13 (Reuters) - Australian shares rose to a record high on Thursday, as mining and gold stocks jumped on strong underlying commodity prices, while Insurance Australia Group tumbled after its top-line growth and dividend missed estimates.
The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO was up 0.4% at 8,566.80, as of 0057 GMT, after rising as much as 0.5% earlier in the day to hit a fresh high of 8,575.20.
Miners .AXMM gained as much as 1.7% to hit their highest level since mid-December after iron ore prices rebounded on Wednesday. IRONORE/
BHP Group BHP.AX, Fortescue FMG.AX and Rio Tinto RIO.AX gained between 0.2% and 2%. Diversified miner South32 S32.AX rose as much as 2.9% after reporting a more than nine-fold jump in first-half profit.
Gold miners .AXGD advanced as much as 1.3% as bullion prices edged higher on trade war fears. GOL/
Financials .AXFJ moved 0.4% higher, with the "Big Four" banks gaining between 0.7% and 1.6%.
Energy stocks .AXEJ fell as much as 0.8% after oil prices declined overnight as U.S. President Donald Trump took the first big step towards diplomacy to end the war in Ukraine. O/R
However, Origin Energy ORG.AX rose up to 2.8% as it posted a better-than-expected first-half profit.
Among individual stocks, Insurance Australia Group IAG.AX fell as much as 10.3% and was the top loser on the benchmark index, after the insurer missed estimates for top-line growth and dividend in the first half.
Treasury Wine Estates TWE.AX fell up to 8.5% after the wine maker flagged weakness in one of its divisions.
Australian bourse operator ASX ASX.AX rose as much as 9.2% and was among the top gainers on the benchmark, after it logged a 10% rise in first-half profit.
Overnight, the U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 0.50%, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 0.27%, and the Nasdaq .IXIC was flat.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 inched lower by 0.2% to 12,883.56.
(Reporting by Sherin Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
((Sherin.Sunny@thomsonreuters.com))
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