Global Markets | Australian shares gain as split RBA hike cools rate fears

Australian equities rallied after the Reserve Bank of Australia’s narrow 5‑4 vote signaled a lower chance of a May rate hike, while Japan’s Nikkei slipped for a fourth consecutive day amid tech losses and rising oil prices. The split decision trimmed rate‑hike odds to about 25%, buoying financials and miners, even as some resource stocks slipped on earnings pressures.