Investors embraced Ben Bernanke's comments that the world's biggest economy would continue to need stimulus, sending the Australian stock market 1.3% higher as miners surged on rising metal prices.
Investors appeared unfazed by the lack of clarity in the latest US Federal Reserve meeting minutes, released just before a speech by the chairman, on a timeframe to wind back aggressive stimulus measures.
At the 1615 AEST official market close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index added 1.31% to 4,965.7 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index increased by 1.26% to 4,946.9 points.
