Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.04%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT), which rose 6.90% or 0.090 points to trade at 1.395 at the close. Meanwhile, Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) added 6.53% or 0.260 points to end at 4.240 and South32 Ltd (AX:S32) was up 4.03% or 0.150 points to 3.870 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Incitec Pivot Ltd (AX:IPL), which fell 3.89% or 0.150 points to trade at 3.710 at the close. Automotive Group Holdings Ltd (AX:AHG) declined 3.03% or 0.110 points to end at 3.520 and Abacus Property Group (AX:ABP) was down 2.84% or 0.110 points to 3.770.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 661 to 564 and 384 ended unchanged.
Shares in Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 6.90% or 0.090 to 1.395. Shares in South32 Ltd (AX:S32) rose to all time highs; rising 4.03% or 0.150 to 3.870.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.82% to 10.652.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.50% or 6.60 to $1329.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.28% or 0.18 to hit $63.62 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.01% or 0.01 to trade at $69.25 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.11% to 0.7883, while AUD/JPY fell 0.14% to 87.67.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.11% at 91.56.