Aussie share market opens higher

The Australian share market opened strongly on Thursday, with energy firms and global miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto leading the benchmark index back above the 5,500 mark.

At the Asian open, the benchmark S&P/ ASX200 index was up 36.1 points, or 0.66 percent, at 5,501.8, while the broader All Ordinaries index was up 35.5 points, or 0.64 percent, at 5,586.9.

Aussie stocks are jumping onto the generally bullish overnight leads, driven by rises in resources and energy stocks after strong gains in industrial commodities and benchmark crude.

"Oil has once again established itself as the central thematic behind the world's financial markets and the fact we saw such a powerful reversal at the trend low, despite USD strength, has driven a slight uplift in sentiment," IG chief market strategist Chris Weston said.

At the open, ANZ shares rose 0.16 percent, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia up by 0.16 percent, the National Australia Bank up by 0.77 percent and Westpac surged by 0.40 percent.

BHP Billiton up by 3.20 percent, its rival Rio Tinto up 2.27 percent while gold miner Newcrest posted a decline of 1.75 percent.

Oil Search rose by 2.09 percent, Santos up by 4.65 percent while Woodside Petroleum surged by 1.78 percent.

Wesfarmers rose by 0.63 percent while its rival Woolworths went up by 1.11 percent.

Qantas was up by 1.75 percent while telecommunication giant Telstra's shares surged by 1.05 percent at the open. Enditem