Australian equities climbed 43 points, or 0.5%, to 8,739 in early Thursday trading, extending gains after a near ten-week local low earlier this week. A rebound in U.S. stock futures improved sentiment after Wall Street retreated overnight following the Federal Reserve’s first rate hike in three years. Investors continued bargain hunting while weighing persistent inflation and the likelihood of another Reserve Bank move later this month. Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock is scheduled to testify before Parliament on Friday. Mixed August data from China, Australia’s top trading partner, also raised hopes for fresh stimulus and provided support. Financial, technology and manufacturing stocks led the advance, while healthcare and resources declined. The big four banks rose, as did insurers QBE, up 1.9%, and IAG, up 0.8%. Qantas gained 2.2%, Bluescope Steel advanced 2.1% and Ramsay Health Care rose 1.2%. Energy stocks lagged, with Woodside down 1.5% and Santos off 2.1%.