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 Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.33% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT), which rose 15.09% or 0.080 points to trade at 0.610 at the close. Meanwhile, Independence Group NL (ASX:IGO) added 8.64% or 0.260 points to end at 3.270 and Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) was up 8.55% or 0.470 points to 5.970 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (ASX:LNG), which fell 9.45% or 0.190 points to trade at 1.820 at the close. Ten Network Holdings Ltd (ASX:TEN) declined 2.70% or 0.005 points to end at 0.180 and AWE Ltd (ASX:AWE) was down 1.90% or 0.015 points to 0.775.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 622 to 342 and 142 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 6.23% to 20.527 a new 1-month low.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.10% or 1.10 to $1145.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 1.59% or 0.79 to hit $50.22 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 1.12% or 0.59 to trade at $53.65 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.39% to 0.7286, while AUD/JPY rose 0.59% to 87.56.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.04% at 95.36.