Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Financials, IT and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.13% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC), which rose 5.30% or 0.845 points to trade at 16.775 at the close. Meanwhile, Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL) added 5.07% or 0.820 points to end at 17.000 and Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY) was up 3.47% or 0.105 points to 3.135 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Telstra Corporation Ltd. (AX:TLS), which fell 4.81% or 0.140 points to trade at 2.770 at the close. Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR) declined 4.26% or 0.095 points to end at 2.135 and Resolute Mining Ltd (AX:RSG) was down 3.10% or 0.040 points to 1.250.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 680 to 553 and 407 ended unchanged.
Shares in Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC) rose to all time highs; up 5.30% or 0.845 to 16.775.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.67% to 12.181.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.22% or 2.80 to $1275.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 0.70% or 0.46 to hit $65.23 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 0.37% or 0.28 to trade at $75.36 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.20% to 0.7395, while AUD/JPY rose 0.30% to 81.48.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.10% at 94.74.
