By Oliver Gray
Investing.com - The S&P/ASX 200 added 54.5 points or 0.8% to 7,176.8 during Friday's trade, posting gains of 3.1% for the week, snapping 6 weeks of consecutive declines as major mining companies supported sentiment.
Among stocks, Materials led the gains, up 1.9% collectively as with Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) up 2.5%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) gaining 2.3%, Champion Iron Ltd (ASX:CIA) up 3% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) lifting 3.7%.
Gold miners also lifted 2.2% with St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) adding 2.3%, Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX:GOR) up 5.3%, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) up 2.2%, Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) lifting 1.1% and Chalice Gold Mines Ltd (ASX:CHN) up 2.1%.
Financials added 0.5% with Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX:MQG) up 2.3%, ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:ANZ) adding 0.3%, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) lifting 0.2% and Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (ASX:CBA) up 0.6%.
On the bond markets, Australia 10-Year rates were at 3.305%.
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 finished 0.4% lower at 11,884.5.