Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, Consumer Staples and Telecoms Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 2.19%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV), which rose 9.17% or 0.110 points to trade at 1.310 at the close. Meanwhile, Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) added 8.83% or 1.85 points to end at 22.81 and Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) was up 8.75% or 0.510 points to 6.340 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX:RMS), which fell 8.04% or 0.115 points to trade at 1.315 at the close. Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) declined 6.36% or 1.460 points to end at 21.500 and Mesoblast Ltd (ASX:MSB) was down 3.11% or 0.035 points to 1.090.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 1032 to 451 and 340 ended unchanged.
Shares in Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) fell to 3-years lows; down 6.36% or 1.460 to 21.500. Shares in Mesoblast Ltd (ASX:MSB) fell to 3-years lows; falling 3.11% or 0.035 to 1.090.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 18.89% to 17.894.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.20% or 3.60 to $1796.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.77% or 0.67 to hit $87.28 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 0.68% or 0.60 to trade at $88.77 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.16% to 0.7020, while AUD/JPY rose 0.09% to 81.17.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 97.300.