The Australian bourse remains stronger at Tuesday noon although it pared some morning gains, following a rise on United States markets overnight.

At midday AEST, the S&P/ASX200 was 14.9 points, or 0.32 per cent per cent higher at 4646.2 points while the broader All Ordinaries 15.8 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 4692.9.

On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the December share price index futures contract gained 18 points at 4669 on a volume of 11,629 contracts.

Among the sectors, information technology was the best performing sub-index, up 1.04 per cent, followed by industrials and consumer discretionary, which had risen 0.91 and 0.71 per cent respectively. Meanwhile, telecoms, health and consumer staples were all the in red.

Of the major Australian banks, ANZ Banking Group lifted 0.08 per cent to $23.98, Commonwealth Bank of Australia added 0.58 per cent to $52.89, National Australia Bank rose 0.19 per cent to $25.91, and Westpac Banking Corp reclaimed 0.21 per cent to $23.48.

Investment bank Macquarie Group jumped 0.65 per cent to $36.73.

Resources were also stronger after predictions from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) that iron ore and coal prices will increase in the year to June 2011.

Global miner BHP Billiton added 0.38 per cent at $38.93. Its rival Rio Tinto regained 0.74 per cent to $75.54. Fortescue Metals Group improved a 0.81 per cent to $4.92.

The extent of the rise in the local bourse had been disappointing given the strength of the lift in United States markets, according to RBS Morgans private client adviser Trent Muller.

He said investors may be sitting on the sidelines ahead of commentary from US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke tonight Australian time.