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 rose 0.90% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM), which rose 7.53% or 0.360 points to trade at 5.140 at the close. Meanwhile, Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (AX:NEC) added 4.08% or 0.10 points to end at 2.55 and Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) was up 4.00% or 0.120 points to 3.120 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Inghams Group Ltd (AX:ING), which fell 3.29% or 0.13 points to trade at 3.82 at the close. Appen Ltd (AX:APX) declined 2.60% or 0.340 points to end at 12.720 and Automotive Group Holdings Ltd (AX:AHG) was down 2.12% or 0.055 points to 2.545.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 638 to 470 and 377 ended unchanged.
Shares in St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) rose to 5-year highs; rising 7.53% or 0.360 to 5.140. Shares in Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (AX:NEC) rose to all time highs; gaining 4.08% or 0.10 to 2.55. Shares in Automotive Group Holdings Ltd (AX:AHG) fell to 5-year lows; falling 2.12% or 0.055 to 2.545.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.27% to 12.540.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.20% or 2.50 to $1256.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.32% or 0.23 to hit $73.17 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.08% or 0.06 to trade at $77.45 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.23% to 0.7405, while AUD/JPY rose 0.34% to 82.01.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.03% at 94.10.