Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Energy, Gold and Resources sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.35%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were NIB Holdings (AX:NHF), which rose 5.27% or 0.290 points to trade at 5.790 at the close. Meanwhile, Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) added 5.00% or 0.085 points to end at 1.785 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was up 4.65% or 0.230 points to 5.180 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC), which fell 6.09% or 1.020 points to trade at 15.740 at the close. Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT) declined 3.91% or 0.350 points to end at 8.590 and Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) was down 3.77% or 0.100 points to 2.550.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 644 to 599 and 442 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 4.60% to 12.996.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.17% or 2.10 to $1254.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 0.47% or 0.34 to hit $72.42 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 0.26% or 0.20 to trade at $77.26 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.16% to 0.7352, while AUD/JPY rose 0.14% to 81.05.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 95.06.
