A higher closing at the U.S. stock market due to encouraging falls in jobless claims was favorable for Australian shares.

The September share price index contract this morning was 19 points higher at 4,601 points. A total of 5,692 contracts was traded.

On Thursday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed up 45 points (0.99 percent) at 4,582.2 points. The broader All Ordinaries index rose 43 points (0.94 percent) to 4,621.3 points.

All news makers in the stock market will keep traders with a very watchful eye. Financial institutions are in on a wave ride today with the share prices AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (ASX: AXA) and IOOF Holdings Limited (ASX: IFL) went down. AXA is down 36 cents at $5.08 and IFL also went down nine cents at $6.56.

The National Australian Bank (ASX: NAB), however, is up 89 cents at $24.84 while wealth management company AMP Limited remains at $5.04.

Retirement companies Aevum Limited (ASX: AVE) and the Stockland Corporation (ASX: SGP) are higher while trying to come up with an agreement. Aevum went up three cents at $1.79 and Stockland also increased three cents at $4.09.

The miners will always be majors players. BHP Billiton limited (ASX: BHP) is up 27 cents at $38.18 and so is base metals miner Jabiru Metals Limited (ASX: JML). Jabiru barely went up, though, with half a cent at 38.5 cents.

Mirabela Nickel Limited (ASX: MBN) slipped 2.5 cents at $1.815 while book building to raise $US165 million ($179.97 million) at $1.60 per share.