Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Resources sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.18% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Nanosonics Ltd (ASX:NAN), which rose 6.71% or 0.310 points to trade at 4.930 at the close. Meanwhile, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) added 5.52% or 0.460 points to end at 8.800 and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) was up 5.51% or 0.550 points to 10.530 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Challenger Ltd (ASX:CGF), which fell 6.46% or 0.450 points to trade at 6.520 at the close. AMP Ltd (ASX:AMP) declined 5.80% or 0.130 points to end at 2.110 and Ardent Leisure Ltd (ASX:ALG) was down 5.80% or 0.065 points to 1.055.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 641 to 592 and 371 ended unchanged.
Shares in Challenger Ltd (ASX:CGF) fell to 3-years lows; losing 6.46% or 0.450 to 6.520. Shares in Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) rose to 5-year highs; up 5.52% or 0.460 to 8.800. Shares in Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) rose to all time highs; up 5.51% or 0.550 to 10.530. Shares in Ardent Leisure Ltd (ASX:ALG) fell to 5-year lows; losing 5.80% or 0.065 to 1.055.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.44% to 13.546.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 1.05% or 14.05 to $1357.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.27% or 0.14 to hit $52.14 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 0.11% or 0.07 to trade at $61.38 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.19% to 0.6900, while AUD/JPY fell 0.30% to 74.69.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.02% at 97.020.