US Defence stocks up, index adds 5.6 per cent; Energy biggest S&P sector gainer; Indexes up: Dow 0.59 per cent, S&P 0.63 per cent, Nasdaq 0.39 per cent.
Thousands of FIFO workers are expected to be affected when pilots from the Qantas-owned Network Aviation walk off the job as a wages dispute intensifies.
The finance department is considering whether the spin-off company of scandal-plagued consultancy firm PwC is ethically sound enough for government contracts.
The local share market has staged a remarkable recovery, bouncing off a low hit six months ago in early trading and rebounding in the afternoon to finish the day flat.