Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, Energy and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.36%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Vocus Group Ltd (AX:VOC), which rose 9.97% or 0.350 points to trade at 3.860 at the close. Meanwhile, Seek Ltd (AX:SEK) added 8.25% or 1.430 points to end at 18.770 and Bingo Industries Ltd (AX:BIN) was up 7.01% or 0.095 points to 1.450 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nextdc Ltd (AX:NXT), which fell 8.19% or 0.580 points to trade at 6.500 at the close. Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (AX:RWC) declined 6.56% or 0.320 points to end at 4.560 and Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) was down 3.36% or 0.080 points to 2.300.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 600 to 553 and 370 ended unchanged.
Shares in Vocus Group Ltd (AX:VOC) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 9.97% or 0.350 to 3.860.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.37% to 11.598.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.08% or 1.05 to $1329.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 0.86% or 0.48 to hit $55.98 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 0.57% or 0.37 to trade at $65.73 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.03% to 0.7188, while AUD/JPY rose 0.04% to 79.49.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.14% at 96.002.
