The S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 0.3% to above 8,560 on Thursday, extending its rally to a third consecutive session as investors await upbeat trade data that may signal resilience in the broader Australian economy despite US tariffs. The Australian Bureau of Statistics is set to release April’s Trade Balance, with expectations pointing to a monthly surplus of A$6.1 billion, which would underscore the strength of Australia's export sector and support a more positive economic outlook. Meanwhile, the OECD maintained its forecast for China’s GDP growth at 4.7% but cautioned that exports from Australia’s largest trading partner could be impacted by newly imposed US tariffs. Trade developments also drew attention as Trump called it “extremely hard” to deal with Xi, while China eyes a major Airbus deal in a shift toward closer EU ties. Among standout performers on the index were Wesfarmers Limited (0.8%), Goodman Group (1.1%), and Fortescue LTD (1.4%).