Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Financials, Utilities and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.38%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX:PNI), which rose 4.71% or 0.28 points to trade at 6.23 at the close. Meanwhile, Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) added 3.82% or 0.030 points to end at 0.815 and Washington H Soul Pattinson&Co Ltd (ASX:SOL) was up 3.81% or 0.82 points to 22.34 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL), which fell 5.56% or 0.045 points to trade at 0.765 at the close. Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) declined 5.26% or 1.39 points to end at 25.03 and Unibail Rodamco Westfield (ASX:URW) was down 4.85% or 0.51 points to 10.01.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 598 to 588 and 324 ended unchanged.
Shares in Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX:PNI) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.71% or 0.28 to 6.23. Shares in Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL) fell to 5-year lows; falling 5.56% or 0.045 to 0.765. Shares in Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 3.82% or 0.030 to 0.815.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 7.40% to 12.295.
Gold Futures for April delivery was unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to $1578.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.06% or 0.03 to hit $51.45 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 0.02% or 0.01 to trade at $56.33 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.03% to 0.6720, while AUD/JPY unchanged 0.00% to 73.77.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 98.998.