(Reuters) - Australian shares ended higher on Friday and posted their best weekly performance in a month, as financials tracked Wall Street counterparts higher ahead of big U.S. banks earnings.
The S&P/ASX 200 index <.AXJO> finished 0.5 percent, or 28.33 points, higher at 5,765.10.
The benchmark rose 1.1 percent on Thursday and added over 1 percent on the week, its strongest rise since the week ended June 16.
The day's gains rode on a solid rise in energy and financial stocks.
The Australian energy index <.AXEJ> recorded its best weekly performance since mid-May, ending the day 2 percent higher on overnight advances in oil prices, which came on the back of data showing stronger Chinese demand for crude. [O/R].
Aussie energy sector bellwether Woodside Petroleum <WPL.AX>, was up nearly 2 percent.
The Australian financial index <.AXFJ> followed U.S. financials <.SPSY> higher as investors bought in before second quarter earnings kicked-off with three of the biggest U.S. banks reporting results. [.N]
The Aussie big banks rose in a range of 0.3 percent to 1 percent and were the biggest contributors to overall gains.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index <.NZ50> added 0.5 percent or 38.88 points to 7,649.77.
The benchmark posted a fifth straight week of gains, adding 0.4 percent.
Auckland International Airport <AIA.NZ> and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp <FPH.NZ> were the main index's biggest gainers by weight, up 0.9 percent and 0.5 percent respectively.
(Reporting by Rushil Dutta in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
