The S&P/ASX 200 was up 62 points to 5464, with the materials sector gaining a 1.2% boost.

The big miners benefitted from the higher iron ore price, with BHP Billiton up 0.8% to $A36.50 and Rio Tinto up 1.3% to $59.90.

Lifting the wider market was new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which showed job vacancies were up 2.1% in the three months to May.

The number of mining jobs on offer declined, however, falling 800 positions to 4200.

Most resource stocks were moving higher today and gold miner Red 5 posted one of the largest gains, rising 21.3% to 8.5c.

The move came after positive updates for returning the Siana project in the Philippines to production.

Talisman Mining was also up 10% to 16.5c after diamond drilling started at the Homer prospect within the Springfield copper-gold project in Western Australia.

In other positive moves, Bassari Resources rose 57% to 1.1c after releasing the feasibility study for its Makabingui gold project in Senegal.

Anova Metals was 11.8% higher at 3.8c on an updated resource estimate for its Big Springs gold project in the United States, while Black Mountain Resources climbed 14.3% to 4c on sampling from its New Departure silver mine, also in the US.

Still with the winners, Geopacific Resources rose 17.1% to 6.8c after confirming high grade copper at the 117 prospect within the Kou Sa project in Cambodia.

Elsewhere, Cohiba Minerals entered a trading halt pending details on a capital raising and proposed acquisition, while Nagambie Mining went on hold pending news on a gold tenement purchase.

Pilbara Minerals was also placed in suspension pending details on a capital raising.