The ASX finished slightly higher but Wall Street fell sharply as fears over global tensions and AI uncertainty weighed on markets.
Oil prices shot up after the Middle East clashes flared up again .
concerns over China’s economic slowdown deepened market pessimism.
Most stocks outside tech shares climbed while tech dragged on gains .
Heavyweights drove the advance.
Mineral Resources and BHP stood out among the top gainers .
Large investors kept buying into key sectors despite patchy signals everywhere .