Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Gold, Utilities and Energy sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.66% to hit a new 3-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN), which rose 11.11% or 0.100 points to trade at 1.000 at the close. Meanwhile, Beadell Resources Ltd (ASX:BDR) added 7.02% or 0.020 points to end at 0.305 and Medusa Mining Ltd (ASX:MML) was up 6.06% or 0.050 points to 0.875 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Kathmandu Holdings Ltd (ASX:KMD), which fell 27.54% or 0.515 points to trade at 1.355 at the close. NRW Holdings Ltd (ASX:NWH) declined 5.26% or 0.015 points to end at 0.270 and Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL) was down 5.21% or 0.055 points to 1.000.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 284 to 282 and 43 ended unchanged.
Shares in Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX:EVN) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 11.11% or 0.100 to 1.000. Shares in Kathmandu Holdings Ltd (ASX:KMD) fell to 52-week lows; losing 27.54% or 0.515 to 1.355. Shares in NRW Holdings Ltd (ASX:NWH) fell to 3-year lows; losing 5.26% or 0.015 to 0.270.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.72% to 14.866.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.12% or 1.50 to $1280.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in March fell 2.81% or 1.35 to hit $46.88 a barrel, while the March Brent Oil contract fell 1.55% or 0.81 to trade at $51.60 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.20% to 0.7782, while AUD/JPY rose 0.42% to 91.59.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.04% at 95.01.