Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the IT , Energy and A-REITs sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.15%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Perenti Global Ltd (ASX: PRN ), which rose 6.35% or 0.10 points to trade at 1.59 at the close. Meanwhile, Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1 ) added 4.32% or 0.54 points to end at 12.91 and Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB ) was up 3.54% or 0.18 points to 5.13 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF ), which fell 5.32% or 0.14 points to trade at 2.49 at the close. Idp Education Ltd (ASX: IEL ) declined 2.91% or 0.25 points to end at 8.33 and Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF ) was down 2.73% or 0.22 points to 7.84.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 575 to 473 and 466 ended unchanged.

Shares in Perenti Global Ltd (ASX: PRN ) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 6.35% or 0.10 to 1.59. Shares in Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF ) fell to 5-year lows; down 5.32% or 0.14 to 2.49.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.98% to 11.77.

Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.94% or 30.89 to $3,325.89 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.69% or 0.42 to hit $60.78 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 0.64% or 0.41 to trade at $64.03 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.20% to 0.64, while AUD/JPY fell 0.06% to 92.26.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.29% at 99.56.