By Myra P. Saefong TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- Australian shares climbed Friday morning as strength in oil and gold prices in New York provided a lift to resource stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XAT 4,541, +8.52, +0.19%) added 0.5% to 4,555.70. Among resource shares, shares of OZ Minerals Ltd (AU:OZL 1.36, +0.06, +4.22%) (OZMLF 1.15, +0.04, +3.60%) added 2.7%, Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM 38.72, +0.65, +1.71%) (NCMGF 34.50, +0.25, +0.73%) rose 1.1% and Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (AU:WPL 43.38, +0.15, +0.35%) (WOPEF 37.00, -0.70, -1.86%) climbed 1%. Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AU:AQP 5.17, +0.17, +3.40%) (AQPBF 0.00, 0.00, 0.00%) was a standout, with shares up 4.6% after RBC raised the stock to top pick from sector perform, according to Dow Jones Newswires. Shares of BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP 38.47, +0.15, +0.39%) (BHP 70.20, +0.06, +0.09%) were 0.9% higher after a report in The Australian said the mining giant might bid for U.S. energy firm Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC 50.24, +1.45, +2.97%) .

Source