SYDNEY, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The Australian share market finished higher on Friday, with mining stocks and the energy sector driving the action.
At the close of trade, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was up 11.60 points or 0.18 percent at 6,554.00, while the broader All Ordinaries index lifted 14.50 points or 0.22 percent at 6,633.60.
While the financial sector failed to see support from investors and was a big weight on the market, the falls were offset by massive gains in the resources sectors.
"Iron ore is a stand out, up more than 3.0 percent, as lower Chinese inventories continue to support spot prices," CMC Markets' chief market strategist Michael McCarthy told investors in an afternoon note.
Australia's big banks struggled with the Commonwealth Bank down (0.81 percent), Westpac Bank down (0.89 percent), National Australia Bank down (1.00 percent) and ANZ up (0.74 percent).
Mining stocks surged with BHP up (1.87 percent), Rio Tinto up (3.49 percent), Fortescue Metals up (5.39 percent) and gold miner Newcrest up (2.97 percent).
The country's oil and gas producers also rallied with Woodside Petroleum up (1.92 percent), Santos up (2.64 percent) and Oil Search up (1.45 percent).
Australia's largest supermarket chains came under pressure with Wesfarmers down (1.71 percent) and Woolworths down (0.34 percent).
While telecommunications giant Telstra jumped (0.78 percent), the national carrier Qantas fell (0.36 percent) and biomedical firm CSL edged slightly higher (0.11 percent).
