Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gold, Consumer Discretionary and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.07% to hit a new 6-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Resmed Inc (AX:RMD), which rose 7.55% or 0.650 points to trade at 9.260 at the close. Meanwhile, Bega Cheese Ltd (AX:BGA) added 6.90% or 0.400 points to end at 6.200 and Austal Ltd (AX:ASB) was up 5.94% or 0.065 points to 1.160 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT), which fell 5.13% or 0.030 points to trade at 0.555 at the close. Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX) declined 4.94% or 0.415 points to end at 7.985 and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (AX:FMG) was down 4.11% or 0.190 points to 4.430.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 586 to 501 and 315 ended unchanged.
Shares in Resmed Inc (AX:RMD) rose to 52-week highs; rising 7.55% or 0.650 to 9.260.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.39% to 14.179 a new 3-months low.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.03% or 0.45 to $1340.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 0.29% or 0.12 to hit $41.02 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.19% or 0.08 to trade at $43.15 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.24% to 0.7521, while AUD/JPY fell 1.35% to 77.90.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.26% at 96.44.