AU Evening Wrap: ASX Closes 0.5% Higher, Posts 2% Weekly Jump

The $S&P/ASX 200 (.XJO.AU)$ rose 0.5 per cent on Friday to 7361.6, with gains in mining companies offsetting losses in health and property sectors. It was the highest closing level since March 7 and lifted the benchmark 2 per cent on the week, in the third consecutive week of gains.

Out of the top 10 performers on the index, gold and lithium producers took no less than seven spots. $Silver Lake Resources Ltd (SLR.AU)$ climbed 6 per cent to $1.33.

Battery minerals producer $IGO Ltd (IGO.AU)$ leapt 5.8 per cent to $13.49 after receiving the green light from Western Australia's government for a battery facility.

Shares in $GR Engineering Services Ltd (GNG.AU)$ rallied 3.3 per cent to $1.895 after securing two contracts worth $312 million with $Oz Minerals Ltd (OZL.AU)$ for the construction of the West Mugrave Mineral processing plant in WA.

Oil and gas producer $Karoon Energy Ltd (KAR.AU)$ was the biggest laggard, down 5.4 per cent to $2.26 after flagging troubles in its Bauna site in Brazil.

$Bank of Queensland Ltd (BOQ.AU)$ fell 0.9 per cent to $6.43 after regulators demanded a "material uplift" in its risk and compliance management, resulting in the lender taking a $200 million impairment of goodwill charges and a $60 million in costs related to the failures.