Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the IT, Consumer Staples and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.67% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Challenger Ltd (ASX:CGF), which rose 5.52% or 0.460 points to trade at 8.790 at the close. Meanwhile, Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) added 5.26% or 0.120 points to end at 2.400 and Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (ASX:MYX) was up 4.40% or 0.020 points to 0.475 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX:SUL), which fell 5.97% or 0.620 points to trade at 9.770 at the close. Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) declined 2.78% or 0.010 points to end at 0.350 and Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX:DHG) was down 2.77% or 0.110 points to 3.860.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 678 to 494 and 332 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.44% to 10.939.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.05% or 0.75 to $1553.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.71% or 0.41 to hit $58.22 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.69% or 0.44 to trade at $64.44 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.04% to 0.6905, while AUD/JPY rose 0.10% to 75.92.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 97.000.
