THE Australian sharemarket closed higher, boosted by mining stocks after the release of a bumper trade report in China.
IG Markets analyst Stan Shamu said the local bourse narrowly missed posting a fresh four-year high, despite a late rally on the back of a surge in China's exports.
"The morning was fairly flat ahead of China data which eventually came out and smashed expectations," Mr Shamu said.
"It certainly seems like things are ticking along in China. The big miners were really firing."
China's exports surged more than 20 percent in February, data showed today, in another sign of recovery for the world's second-largest economy.
Iron-ore focused miners Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group both recorded gains, with Rio lifting $1.13 to $64.36 and Fortescue up two cents higher to $4.42.
