ASX 200 jumps as oil soars: 11 shares you should have been watching

Local shares soared today, led by the energy producers after OPEC agreed to reduce its daily production of oil.

Here's a quick recap:

• S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) up 1.1% to 5471 points
• ALL ORDINARIES (Index: ^AXAO) (ASX: XAO) up 1.1% to 5558 points
• AUD/USD at US 76.85 cents
• Iron Ore at US$56.48 a tonne, according to the Metal Bulletin
• Gold at US$1,323.33 an ounce
• Brent oil at US$48.69 a barrel

Oil prices did retreat marginally as investors turned slightly cautious, but energy shares still managed to set the ASX alight today.

BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) shares soared 4.7%, Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd (ASX: LNG) jumped 10.3%, and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) rocketed 7.3% higher.

The gains didn't stop there. Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) lifted 7.6% and Senex Energy Ltd (ASX: SXY) rose 6.4%.

The gold miners rose strongly, too. St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) gained 5.5%, while Beadell Resources Ltd (ASX: BDR) ended the session 2.4% higher.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) gained 1% today. Meanwhile, Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW) climbed another 1.7%.

Intueri Education Group Ltd (ASX: IQE) rebounded another 41.2%, but will still end the week deep in the red. Programmed Maintenance Services Limited (ASX: PRG) also fell 13.1%.

Here are Thursday's top stories:

1. Oil skyrockets on OPEC production cuts: Is it time to buy oil shares?
2. Would Warren Buffett buy Medibank Private Ltd?
3. Blackmores Limited moves into Iran: Are the shares a buy?
4. BHP Billiton Limited surges: Are shares heading higher?
5. Why this star fund manager just bought Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd shares
6. Crash: Why Programmed Maintenance Services Limited shares tumbled 19% today