Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, Consumer Staples and Telecoms Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.18% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pact Group Holdings Ltd (AX:PGH), which rose 6.91% or 0.250 points to trade at 3.870 at the close. Meanwhile, TPG Telecom Ltd (AX:TPM) added 4.80% or 0.330 points to end at 7.200 and Ausdrill Ltd (AX:ASL) was up 4.62% or 0.060 points to 1.360 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM), which fell 16.07% or 1.760 points to trade at 9.190 at the close. Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT) declined 5.28% or 0.850 points to end at 15.250 and St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) was down 2.92% or 0.140 points to 4.660.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 586 to 526 and 352 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM) fell to 52-week lows; losing 16.07% or 1.760 to 9.190.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.82% to 12.727.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.14% or 1.75 to $1280.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.24% or 0.13 to hit $54.17 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.19% or 0.12 to trade at $62.82 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.04% to 0.7170, while AUD/JPY fell 0.06% to 78.55.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.07% at 95.928.
