ASX Market Close: Up, up, up for Oz bourse on surging miners, unstoppable gold

Market Performance - The ASX experienced a significant gain of +1.3%, driven by strong performances in the Materials sector, which rose by +2.1% due to new all-time highs for gold [2][3] - The rally in the market is attributed to uncertainty in the U.S. regarding a potential government shutdown, which historically leads to stock surges [3] Top Performers - Gold miners and explorers led the market, with Westgold Resources (ASX:WGX) increasing by +7.6%, Bellevue (ASX:BGL) up by +3.6%, and Tambourah Metals (ASX:TMB) soaring by +57% [4] - BHP Group (ASX:BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) also saw gains, despite challenges from China's attempts to lower global prices [4] - CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) rebounded with a +3.3% increase, benefiting from the overall sector performance [4] - Dart Mining (ASX:DTM) reported a remarkable +100% increase according to ADVFN.com [5] Underperformers - St George Mining (ASX:SGQ) was a notable underperformer, declining by -46.7% [6] - REA Group (ASX:REA) lagged after acquiring a controlling stake in Planitar, and News Corp (ASX:NWS) also saw a dip [6] - DroneShield (ASX:DRO) experienced a significant drop of -15% [6]