Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the IT, Metals & Mining and Resources sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.64%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS), which rose 6.07% or 0.115 points to trade at 2.010 at the close. Meanwhile, Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) added 6.02% or 0.040 points to end at 0.705 and Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT) was up 5.89% or 2.050 points to 36.850 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sai Global Ltd (AX:SAI), which fell 6.03% or 0.225 points to trade at 3.505 at the close. APN News & Media Ltd (AX:APN) declined 3.57% or 0.025 points to end at 0.675 and Japara Fpo (AX:JHC) was down 3.11% or 0.090 points to 2.800.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 614 to 379 and 347 ended unchanged.
Shares in Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) rose to 52-week highs; rising 6.07% or 0.115 to 2.010.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.05% to 17.078.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.05% or 0.65 to $1255.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 0.80% or 0.39 to hit $49.16 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.74% or 0.36 to trade at $49.17 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.14% to 0.7238, while AUD/JPY rose 0.30% to 79.71.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.02% at 95.28.