Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, IT and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.46% to hit a new 6-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Syrah Res F (AX:SYR), which rose 4.91% or 0.260 points to trade at 5.550 at the close. Meanwhile, Spotless Fp (AX:SPO) added 4.07% or 0.043 points to end at 1.087 and GWA Group Ltd (AX:GWA) was up 3.74% or 0.085 points to 2.355 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Qantas Airways Ltd (AX:QAN), which fell 3.53% or 0.110 points to trade at 3.010 at the close. Myer Holdings Ltd (AX:MYR) declined 3.49% or 0.040 points to end at 1.105 and Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) was down 2.16% or 3.485 points to 158.015.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 550 to 442 and 335 ended unchanged.
Shares in Syrah Res F (AX:SYR) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.91% or 0.260 to 5.550. Shares in Qantas Airways Ltd (AX:QAN) fell to 52-week lows; down 3.53% or 0.110 to 3.010.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.72% to 16.151 a new 1-month low.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.03% or 0.35 to $1220.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.73% or 0.36 to hit $49.12 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 0.79% or 0.39 to trade at $49.20 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.00% to 0.7226, while AUD/JPY fell 0.04% to 79.28.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.03% at 95.17.