Australia's sharemarket has clutched a second session of gains, led by a strong performance from miner BHP, which helped offset weak performances elsewhere.
The S&P/ASX edged 21.8 points higher on Tuesday, up 0.24 per cent to 8,958.9, as the broader All Ordinaries rose 18.7 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 9,182.5.
Only four of 11 local sectors ended the day higher, led by a 1.3 per cent boost to raw materials as BHP shares soared to a record high on the back of a stellar first half profit result.
The Australian dollar was buying 70.69 US cents, down from 70.88 US cents on Monday at 5pm.
