Aussie shares close higher following lead in global markets

SYDNEY, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Australian share market ended higher on Monday, following the leads from global markets.

At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 stock index was up 25.4 points or 0.42 percent at 6,075.4, while the broader All Ordinaries index gained 22.9 points or 0.37 percent at 6,187.6.

CMC Markets chief market strategist Michael McCarthy told Xinhua it was a "pleasing performance for Australian investors," with the market "climbing steadily over most of the session and echoing the strength that we've seen in global markets on Friday night across the region today."

"While there's certainly local factors helping the market go higher, it does appear that the global environment is also one of the factors in driving us to better prices on the share market."

There was significant focus on the energy sector, following the gains in the oil price on Friday night, he said.

"But we also saw broad sectoral support, although industrial stocks finished flat on the day as a group. Property trusts were the only ones that were under real pressure as a sector."

The pressure on gold stocks, despite a price rise on Friday night, made up a "curious aspect" of the market and "It did appear that they might have been affected by a risk-on approach to markets in trading in the Asia-Pacific session today," said McCarthy.

The big banks ended mostly higher, with Commonwealth Bank and the National Australia Bank both up 0.69 percent, and Westpac gaining 0.58 percent. ANZ edging down 0.07 percent.

Mining giant BHP Billiton slipped 0.39 percent while rival Rio Tinto added 0.34 percent. Gold miner Newcrest fell 1.5 percent.

Oil and gas major Santos was 0.96 percent higher and Woodside Petroleum added 0.26 percent.

Wesfarmers gained 0.57 percent while rival supermarket chain Woolworths slipped 0.41 percent.

National carrier Qantas was up 0.38 percent, telco giant Telstra lifted 1.69 percent and biomed group CSL climbed 1.55 percent. Enditem