The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.2% to finish at 8,592 on Thursday, trimming early gains as strength in the mining sector outweighed losses in tech stocks. The mining sub-index climbed 0.7% to a fresh record on firmer metal prices, with heavyweights BHP Group and Rio Tinto up 1.3% and 1.8%, respectively. Gold stocks added 0.3% as bullion advanced following the US Federal Reserve’s rate cut. On the downside, local technology shares dropped 1.5%, their fourth straight decline and a three-week low, tracking US tech heavy Oracle’s decline after earnings miss reignited concerns about the profitability of AI investments. Sector leaders Wisetech Global, Xero, and Technology One dropped between 1.3% and 2.2%. Investors now assessed Australia’s November jobs report, which showed an unexpected fall in employment, the sharpest in nine months. while the unemployment rate held steady. This came two days after the RBA held rates steady and ruled out further cuts in the near term.