Gold shares lead market higher **SYDNEY MORNING HERALD March 30, 2011 - 11:05AM
Australian stocks have made a bright start, rising to a fresh three-week high, with the gold and materials sector leading the broader market higher.
In early trade, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 25.3 points, or 0.5 per cent, at 4781.1, while the broader All Ordinaries index had risen 23.7 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 4874.9.
Gold-linked companies were up 1.5 per cent, while the materials sector rose 1.1 per cent.
Among the big movers in gold, Norton Gold Fields had advanced 1 cent, or 6.5 per cent, to 16.5 cents, while Resolute Mining had climbed 4 cents, or 3.4 per cent, to $1.23 cents.
Major player Newcrest Mining was up 95 cents, or 2.5 per cent, at $39.47.
CFR Price at posting:
0.7¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Not Held
