The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 19.4 points, or 0.22 per cent, to 8,733.7 early Friday afternoon, while the broader All Ordinaries rose 21.6 points, or 0.24 per cent, to 9,040.4.
Nine of the ASX's 11 sectors were higher, with materials and tech slightly lower.
The energy sector was the biggest mover, rising 0.8 per cent amid strong gains for yellowcake producers after US-based Duke Energy filed an initial application to build a new nuclear reactor in North Carolina.
Paladin Energy, Deep Yellow, Boss Energy and Lotus Resources were all up slightly more than five per cent, while NexGen Energy climbed 2.3 per cent and Bannerman Energy had gained 3.9 per cent.
Elsewhere in the sector, Woodside Energy edged 0.5 per cent higher, while Santos dipped 0.1 per cent.
In health care, Mesoblast and Telix Pharmaceuticals were both up 2.1 per cent, Racura Oncology lifted 6.6 per cent, Clarity Pharma added 7.8 per cent and Orthocell advanced 5.5 per cent.
In the mining sector, goldminers were under pressure following a weak production update from Northern Star, even as the precious metal changed hands at $US4,375 an ounce.
The bourse's biggest goldminer said its operations had been affected by a number of "isolated negative events," including a primary crusher failure at its Kalgoorlie processing centre, which hit production for four weeks.
Northern Star shares dropped 9.5 per cent to a nearly two-month low of $24.19, while Evolution slipped 0.2 per cent and Westgold declined 0.4 per cent.
Elsewhere in the sector, BHP, Fortescue and Rio Tinto were all up 0.5 per cent.
All of the big four banks were up as well, with CBA rising 0.5 per cent, Westpac advancing 0.6 per cent and NAB and ANZ both climbing 0.3 per cent.
The Australian dollar was buying 66.97 US cents, from 66.95 US cents at 3.30pm AEDT on Wednesday.
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