Gains in the resources sector have offset losses from retail, health and telco stocks to lead the share market modestly higher.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.12 per cent, as consistently improving commodity prices boosted miners.

Consumer staples, property, healthcare and telecommunications came under pressure amid a risk-on environment, Bell Direct equities analyst Julia Lee said.

“Once again the resource space has been the outstanding performer with gold stocks up strongly and the energy sector has lifted by more than one per cent,” she said.

Oil giant Woodside Petroleum gained 27 cents to $29.57, Origin Energy added four cents to $5.66 and Santos was 15 cents higher at $3.82.

BHP Billiton rose 38 cents to $22.85, Rio Tinto lifted 22 cents to $50.96 and Fortescue Metals dropped 10 cents to $5.05 after the iron ore miner reported improved quarterly production and lower costs.

Gold miner Newcrest added 53 cents to $22.63.

Three of the major banks finished lower, while ANZ edged 16 cents higher to $28.03.

Defensive stocks that took a hit included Telstra, Wesfarmers and CSL.

Telstra shed three cents to $5.06, Coles owner Wesfarmers declined 32 cents to $44.28 and CSL slipped 24 cents to $105.63.

Ten Network shares tumbled 19 per cent, or 27 cents, to $1.15 as the free-to-air broadcaster posted a full year loss of $157 million after it again wrote down the value of its television licence.

Crown Resorts fell 25 cents to $10.75 after confirming plans to offload a 49 per cent stake in some of its Australian hotels and retail properties in a stock market float.

KEY FACTS:

* At 1615 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was up 6.7 points, or 0.12 per cent, at 5,442.1 points.

* The all Ordinaries was up 7.8 points, or 0.14 per cent, at 5,526.2 points.

* The December share price index futures contract was up 15 points at 5,421 points, with 23,425 contracts traded.

* National turnover was 2.4 billion securities traded, worth $5.6 billion.