Feb 16 2024: Australian stocks closed higher on Friday, driven by gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining, and Resources sectors.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 index gained 0.69%.
Among the top performers on the S&P/ASX 200 were IGO Ltd (ASX:IGO), which rose by 7.84%, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) up by 7.51%, and Omni Bridgeway Ltd (ASX:OBL) which gained 7.28% in late trading.
On the flip side, Inghams Group Ltd (ASX:ING) experienced a decline of 12.73%, followed by Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) down by 7.43%, and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX:DHG) which dropped 5.37%.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange, with 663 stocks advancing, 525 declining, and 348 ending unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures implied volatility, decreased by 1.17% to 11.37.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for April delivery rose by 0.03%, while Crude oil for delivery in March increased by 0.06%. Meanwhile, the April Brent oil contract fell by 0.11%.
The Australian dollar was largely unchanged against the US dollar, while it rose slightly against the Japanese yen. The US Dollar Index Futures edged up by 0.11%.