As it happened: ASX closes 0.6% higher at new nine-month high

Summary

• The S&P/ASX200 gained 0.6% on Wednesday to close at 6728.5 points. It is now just 434 points from the 20 February all-time high of 7162.5 points
• Positive vaccine developments buoyed Wall Street investors overnight. This afternoon US futures were up 0.2% for the S&P500, 0.3% for the Dow Jones, and 0.1% for the Nasdaq
• Iron ore has risen another 1% to $US148.35 a tonne. Spot gold jumped 0.5% to $US1871.21 an ounce, but oil prices have slipped
• Virgin Australia has renegotiated its multi-billion dollar order of Boeing's grounded 737 MAX aircraft, with the carrier slicing its delivery in half to just 25 planes which will start arriving in mid-2023