Explore Now Australian shares closed higher on Thursday, joining a rebound in global equities as gold and healthcare stocks advanced, while AGL Energy hit a record low after its chief executive officer resigned. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.8 per cent to 7,055.40 in its best day since April 8. It had marked its worst session in nearly two months in the previous session. U.S. stocks bounced on Wednesday after a two-day decline, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq adding 1.2 per cent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3 per cent on Thursday, following a 0.9 per cent decline the previous day. "The ASX rebounded across the board, led by a strong reversal in the U.S. equity markets last night," said Brad Smoling, managing director, Smoling Stockbroking.