Australian shares hit record territory again

The local share market has resumed its upward trend after a two-day breather, setting an all-time closing high for a second time this week.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Friday finished up 70.8 points, or 0.85 per cent, to 8,393.8, while the broader All Ordinaries rose 66.1 points, or 0.77 per cent, to 8,633.1.

For the week the ASX200 rose 1.3 per cent, with Friday's close eclipsing the previous record set on Tuesday by 19.8 points.

The index's intraday record high stands at 8,446.4, also set on Tuesday.

AMP deputy chief economist Diana Mousina said that despite a backdrop of geopolitical risk and noise, high valuations and an eroding equity risk premium, sharemarkets had positive momentum from a "goldilocks" economic environment, central banks rate cuts, positive earnings growth and expectations of US fiscal spending.

Cryptocurrencies have also been surging, with bitcoin overnight changing hands for over $A150,000 for the first time.

Just before 5pm BTC was trading for $A151,999 on Melbourne-based exchange BTC Markets and $US98,940 on international exchanges.

Every sector of the ASX on Friday finished at least marginally higher except for tech, which dropped 4.5 per cent, weighed down by its biggest component.

WiseTech Global fell 12.4 per cent to a two-week low of $121.74 after the global shipping platform cut its guidance, saying the recent allegations against founder Richard White had caused a distraction that would delay the launch of its new container transport optimisation product.

The company's board also said an independent review had cleared Mr White of the allegations of undisclosed workplace relationships, inappropriate spending and bullying.

Other tech companies were down, with Nextdc falling 3.7 per cent, Life360 dipping 3.3 per cent and Megaport retreating 9.5 per cent to $7.57 as the scalable bandwidth company held its annual general meeting in Brisbane.

The ASX's energy sector put up the strongest gains, rising 2.3 per cent, with Woodside gaining 2.2 per cent, Whitehaven Coal adding 3.6 per cent and uranium developer Deep Yellow growing 6.3 per cent.

A2Milk was the best-performing individual ASX200 component, soaring 13.3 per cent to a two-week high of $5.45 after managing director and chief executive David Bortolussi told the New Zealand milk company's annual meeting that year-to-date trading was running ahead of plans and guidance.

Three of the big four banks were higher, with CBA growing 1.8 per cent to $159.03, NAB adding 1.4 per cent to $40.07 and Westpac rising 0.9 per cent to $33.83. ANZ was the outlier, basically flat at $32.26.

In the heavyweight mining sector, BHP climbed 0.9 per cent to $40.16, Rio Tinto added 0.6 per cent to $117.18 and Fortescue grew 1.1 per cent to $18.31.

Also, Northern Star rose 1.9 per cent to $17.90 as the precious metal changed hands at a two-week high of $US2,688, while Resolute Mining finished at 40.5 cents after the goldminer confirmed that its chief executive and two other employees had been released from their two-week detention by authorities in Mali over what the company described as unfounded allegations related to taxes and offshore accounts.

Resolute paid $US80 million ($123 million) to Mali and promised to pay another $US80 million to secure their release.

The Australian dollar was buying 64.89 US cents, from 65.20 US cents at Thursday's ASX close.

ON THE ASX:

* The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Friday up 70.8 points, or 0.85 per cent, at 8,393.8

* The broader All Ordinaries gained 66.1 points, or 0.77 per cent, to 8,633.1

CURRENCY SNAPSHOT:

One Australian dollar buys:

* 64.89 US cents, from 65.20 US cents at Thursday's ASX close

* 100.50 Japanese yen, from 100.80 Japanese yen

* 62.01 euro cents, from 61.78 euro cents

* 51.64 British pence, from 51.51 pence

* 111.32 NZ cents, from 110.94 NZ cents.