Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.32% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS), which rose 8.57% or 0.030 points to trade at 0.380 at the close. Meanwhile, Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:CGC) added 4.65% or 0.120 points to end at 2.700 and Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) was up 4.44% or 1.110 points to 26.110 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nufarm Ltd (ASX:NUF), which fell 10.02% or 0.610 points to trade at 5.480 at the close. Blackmores Ltd (ASX:BKL) declined 3.36% or 3.01 points to end at 86.48 and Vocus Group Ltd (ASX:VOC) was down 2.94% or 0.100 points to 3.300.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 634 to 543 and 338 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.05% to 11.273.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.29% or 4.45 to $1554.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.02% or 0.01 to hit $58.51 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.05% or 0.03 to trade at $64.59 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.01% to 0.6897, while AUD/JPY rose 0.08% to 76.03.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 97.050.