Australian stockmarket begins year on optimistic note THE Australian stockmarket has closed higher, buoyed by investor optimism on the first trading day of the new year. At the official market close, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.29 per cent to 5367.9 points while the broader All Ordinaries index was 0.31 per cent higher at 5369.8 points. IG analyst Chris Weston said there was good buying in energy stocks during today's trade, adding the market could continue to push higher over the next week. "The energy space is being buoyed on the back of moves in natural gas, and this is another asset which continues to get attention as well, especially with the commodity printing a higher high," Mr Weston said. Momentum- and trend-focused traders are keen to stay long on natural gas right now, enjoying the strong mix of compelling fundamentals (stockpiles fell the most on record yesterday), while the price action suggests the bulls are firmly in control. Materials were broadly stronger. BHP Billiton rose 0.55 per cent to $38.20, while rival Rio Tinto gained 0.78 per cent to $68.71. Fortescue Metals rose 1.89 per cent to $5.93 and Newcrest soared 8.33 per cent to $8.45 as gold futures rose. Whitehaven Coal put on 2.62 per cent to $1.96 while Santos rose 0.27 per cent to $14.67. Oil Search added 0.74 per cent to $8.17 and Woodside Petroleum fell 0.87 per cent to $38.56 after its LNG deal with Japan Australia LNG was cancelled. Financials were mostly higher. ANZ inched down 0.03 per cent to $32.22 and Commonwealth Bank lifted 0.05 per cent to $77.84. National Australia Bank was flat at $34.83, while Westpac inched down 0.12 per cent to $32.34. Investment bank Macquarie Group lifted 0.2 per cent to $55.08. In insurance, IAG rose 0.34 per cent to $5.84 and Suncorp was flat at $13.10, while QBE lifted 1.65 per cent $11.70. The retail sector also gained. Woolworths rose 0.12 per cent to $33.89, while Wesfarmers inched up 0.02 per cent to $44.05. Myer rose 0.36 per cent to $2.76 and rival David Jones was flat at $3.02. Harvey Norman put on 0.95 per cent to $3.19, while JB Hi-Fi added 0.09 per cent to $21.52. In media, Fairfax Media fell 0.78 per cent to 63.5c, 21st Century Fox rose 0.42 per cent to $38.70 and News Corp lifted 1.01 per cent to $20.10. Ten Network added 1.79 per cent to 28.5c, while Seven West rose 1.28 per cent to $2.38 and Southern Cross Media lifted 0.59 per cent to $1.70. Telstra rose 0.19 per cent to $5.26, while Qantas added 0.46 per cent to $1.10.