Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Energy, Utilities and IT sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.79% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC), which rose 4.16% or 0.690 points to trade at 17.290 at the close. Meanwhile, Aurizon Holdings Ltd (AX:AZJ) added 3.38% or 0.150 points to end at 4.590 and Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIG) was up 3.23% or 0.015 points to 0.480 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM), which fell 11.24% or 0.560 points to trade at 4.420 at the close. Sandfire Resources NL (AX:SFR) declined 7.87% or 0.700 points to end at 8.200 and AMP Ltd (AX:AMP) was down 5.17% or 0.180 points to 3.300.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 765 to 453 and 378 ended unchanged.
Shares in AMP Ltd (AX:AMP) fell to 5-year lows; losing 5.17% or 0.180 to 3.300.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.78% to 11.930 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.17% or 2.10 to $1223.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.04% or 0.03 to hit $69.64 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.01% or 0.01 to trade at $74.55 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.15% to 0.7389, while AUD/JPY rose 0.05% to 82.09.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.05% at 94.52.