ASX 200 gains 0.56%, Aussie dollar remains steady

The news: The ASX 200 gained 0.46% to close at 7,186.50. The All Ordinaries gained 0.50%. The Aussie dollar held steady at above 64 US cents.

The numbers: Healthcare stocks slid 0.53%, with CSL shedding 0.77% and Resmed 1.63%. Materials regained yesterday’s losses, up 1.15%, with BHP gaining 1.12%, Santos 0.52% and coal miners Yancoal and Whitehaven gaining 2.45% and 3.41% respectively. Real estate was up 0.44%, with Stockland and Mirvac gaining more than 1%. Financials gained 0.69% with CBA, ANZ, NAB and Westpac all gaining ground.

The context: The ABS released Australian jobs data showing unemployment remaining steady at 3.7% while employment increased by 64,900. US CPI data overnight revealed the core consumer price index rose 0.3 per cent from July, easing concerns about a further rate rise. The data comes ahead of the Federal Reserve's rate setting meeting next week when it will decide to pause or hike interest rates. The European Central Bank will release its monetary policy statement on Thursday night.