Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gold, Healthcare and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.12%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY), which rose 7.37% or 0.140 points to trade at 2.040 at the close. Meanwhile, Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (AX:MYX) added 4.85% or 0.033 points to end at 0.703 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was up 4.45% or 0.150 points to 3.520 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (AX:HVN), which fell 3.92% or 0.160 points to trade at 3.920 at the close. Sky Network Television Ltd. (AX:SKT) declined 2.72% or 0.070 points to end at 2.500 and Syrah Resources Ltd (AX:SYR) was down 2.50% or 0.075 points to 2.925.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 625 to 501 and 392 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sky Network Television Ltd. (AX:SKT) fell to all time lows; losing 2.72% or 0.070 to 2.500.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.57% to 12.247.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.17% or 2.21 to $1324.41 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 0.61% or 0.29 to hit $46.94 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 0.30% or 0.16 to trade at $52.70 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.15% to 0.7934, while AUD/JPY fell 0.05% to 87.37.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.11% at 92.69.