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Australian stocks jump 2.3 pct at close

Xinhua, February 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Australian share market rose 2.3 percent at the close of Friday, reaching a six-and-a-half year high.

At the official market close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 133.9 points, or 2.33 percent, at 5,877.5 while the broader All Ordinaries index added 127.8 points, or 2.24 percent, to 5,835. 5.

Materials led the market rally, gaining 4.08 percent as a sector. Rio Tinto led the rally, posting its biggest gain since 2011 surging 6.49 percent and BHP Billiton rose 4.79 percent.

Energy stocks also were up 3.93 percent, with Beach Energy surging 2.78 percent, Oil Search lifting 3.88 percent, Santos gaining 4.35 percent while Woodside Petroleum rising 3.99 percent.

Financials were up 2.09 percent. ANZ lifted 2.17 percent, the Commonwealth Bank rallied 2.16 percent, National Australia Bank rose 2.1 percent while Westpac lifted 2.29 percent.

Consumer staples added 1.46 percent as a sector. Woolworths gained 0.93 percent while Wesfarmers rallied 1.92 percent.

Meanwhile, Qantas was 4.3 percent higher and Telstra rose 2.17 percent.

Sims Metals was a star performer surging 10.64 percent, its biggest jump since 2009, after delivering a strong lift in interim profit. Endi