By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 finished Monday’s session 26.60 points or 0.37% higher at 7,243.90, recovering from early losses as market participants moved away from riskier assets amid mounting fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, boosting crude oil prices to fresh 7–year highs as well as traditional safe-havens like Gold.
Among stocks, Energy was the best performer, up 3.36% and lifted by Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT), up 9.43% after reporting a strong bump in first half profits. Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) gained 3.63%, Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) added 4.04% and Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX:VEA) gained 1.68%.
Gold miners were also strong. St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) gained 6.88%, Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX:GOR) added 5.15%, Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) added 4.31%, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) lifted 5.88%, Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) lifted 5.1%, Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) climbed 7.9% and Chalice Gold Mines Ltd (ASX:CHN) gained 4.04%.
Meantime, heavyweight miners were mostly lower as Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) lost 0.68%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) lost 1.08%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) fell 0.35%, Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) fell 0.14%, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) dipped 5.59%, Arizona Lithium Ltd (ASX:AZL) shed 3.45%, Lake Resources NL (ASX:LKE) retreated 7.18%, Magnis Resources Ltd (ASX:MNS) lost 6.06% and Avz Minerals Ltd (ASX:AVZ) dipped 6.36%.
Crown Ltd (ASX:CWN) firmed 2.02% after the board recommended an $8.9 billion takeover offer to shareholders.
Technology companies finished mixed, as Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) lost 1.31%, Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1) dipped 4.95%, Novonix Ltd (ASX:NVX) shed 10.75%, Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX:BRN) dropped 8.64%, Altium Ltd (ASX:ALU) fell 1.96% and Xero Ltd (ASX:XRO) lost 1.49%, while Computershare Ltd. (ASX:CPU) gained 1.1% and Block Inc (ASX:SQ2) added 1.83%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year yields were at 2.132% while United States 10-Year rates were at 1.956%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 lost 1.84% to 11,950.