By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 was up 17.80 points or 0.25% to 7,235.10 during Monday’s mid-day deals, recovering from a negative start and following gains of 1.4% in the previous week as market participants monitored a slew of local company updates, while risk sentiment was dampened as fears of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine mounted over the weekend.
ASX 200 Futures were pointing 0.66% higher.
Among stocks, Energy companies have posted the largest gains, up 2.8% as crude oil lifted above $94 amid escalating fears of an invasion of Ukraine by Russia, a top energy producer. Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) added 2.91%, Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) gained 3.92%, Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) lifted 4.77% and Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX:VEA) gained 1.65%.
Mining companies were mixed as Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) gained 1.08%, BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX:BHP) fell 0.92%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lost 1.8%, Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) added 1.28%, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) shed 5.2% and Arizona Lithium Ltd (ASX:AZL) tumbled 8.39%.
However, gold miners surged as the safe-haven precious metal lifted. St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) gained 8.39%, Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX:GOR) added 5.84%, Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) added 4.75%, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) lifted 7.53%, Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) climbed 8.72% and Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) lifted 4.33%.
Financials lifted about 1% overall, with Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) up 0.56%, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX:ANZ) adding 0.75%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) up 1.44%, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) climbing 2.99% after completing an A$3.5 billion off-market share buy-back and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) up 1%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates held around 35-month highs of 2.111%, while United States 10-Year yields eased from last week's 31-month highs to 1.915%.
In New Zealand, the nz50 lost 1.21% to 12,027.