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SYDNEY - The Australian share market closed slightly higher today, creeping forward with a mixed performance across sectors and a lift in oil price offering a modest boost to energy stocks.
At the 1615 close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index lifted 14.4 points to 6166 and the all ordinaries rose 17.3 points to 6158.3.
On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract fell 13 points to 6180 on a volume of 22,531 contracts.
CMC Markets senior dealer Josh Whiting said the market was just a touch higher, with some buying occurring around noon.
"It was not a strong lead from Wall Street. It was a little lower today, but stocks went a little bit higher before close," he said.
Mr Whiting said sector performance was mixed, with a rise in the oil price overnight pushing the energy stocks higher.
He said that banking stocks ANZ and Westpac performed well, as did the mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd.
BHP Billiton Ltd shares gained 12 cents to finish at A$29.51, while Rio Tinto stocks climbed even higher, by 17 cents to A$82.87.
Alumina Ltd, however, slipped back three cents at close to A$7.16.
In the banking sector, ANZ Banking Group was the star performer with shares advancing 14 cents to A$30.60. Westpac Banking had its stocks finish up one cent to close at A$27.05.
National Australia Bank shares dipped by 16 cents to A$43.00, while Commonwealth Bank shares dropped 28 cents to end at A$52.76.
The two major retail stocks finished higher today, with Woolworths Ltd shares gaining four cents to A$28.30 and Coles Group Ltd increasing two cents to A$17.25.
Energy stocks Woodside Petroleum finished the day 17 cents higher at A$39.42, Oil Search shares closed steady at A$3.58 and Santos shares fell one cent to A$11.24.
The media sector's major shares all ended the day on a low, apart from Seven Network, which enjoyed a three cent gain at closing, watching its price shift up to A$11.34.
The greatest slump in the major media stocks came from News Corp Ltd, losing 23 cents to A$29.62, with non-voting script falling back 20 cents to A$27.80.
Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd shares fell 12 cents to A$20.50 and Ten Network Holdings shares declined one cent to A$3.05.
In the telecommunications sector, Telstra Corp shares were up seven cents to A$4.67, the company's instalment receipts climbed six cents to A$3.21 and Singapore Telecom shares slipped a cent back to A$2.65.
The spot price of gold at 1647 AEST was A$679.90, up A$7.55 from Friday's price of A$672.35 per fine ounce.
Despite the firmer gold price, major gold miners finished mix.
Lihir Gold rose two cents to A$2.98, with Newmont Mining Corp shares steady at A$5.18 and Newcrest Mining tumbling 54 cents to A$23.26.
The top traded stock was the mining giant BHP Billiton, with 16.9 million shares changing hands worth A$502 million.
Total market turnover was 1.57 billion shares worth A$5.31 billion, with 710 stocks rising, 587 falling and 338 unchanged.
- AAP