Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Gold, IT and Consumer Staples sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.19%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Corp Trav F (AX:CTD), which rose 6.87% or 0.980 points to trade at 15.250 at the close. Meanwhile, Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) added 5.50% or 0.110 points to end at 2.110 and Super Retail Group Ltd (AX:SUL) was up 5.67% or 0.510 points to 9.500 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sky Network Television Ltd. (AX:SKT), which fell 15.38% or 0.780 points to trade at 4.290 at the close. BT Investment Management Ltd (AX:BTT) declined 8.09% or 0.820 points to end at 9.320 and Medibank Private Ltd (AX:MPL) was down 5.49% or 0.180 points to 3.100.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 543 to 449 and 329 ended unchanged.
Shares in Corp Trav F (AX:CTD) rose to all time highs; rising 6.87% or 0.980 to 15.250.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.27% to 18.130.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.46% or 5.90 to $1278.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June fell 1.11% or 0.49 to hit $43.83 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 0.93% or 0.42 to trade at $44.59 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.95% to 0.7395, while AUD/JPY fell 0.96% to 79.29.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.07% at 93.80.