Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Financials, Utilities and A-REITs sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.00% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX:SUN), which rose 7.84% or 0.930 points to trade at 12.790 at the close. Meanwhile, Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX:IAG) added 4.61% or 0.230 points to end at 5.220 and Qbe Insurance Group Ltd (ASX:QBE) was up 3.21% or 0.360 points to 11.580 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were News Corp B DRC (ASX:NWS), which fell 7.95% or 2.80 points to trade at 32.40 at the close. Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX:RMS) declined 5.57% or 0.095 points to end at 1.610 and Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX:GOR) was down 4.91% or 0.065 points to 1.260.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 766 to 606 and 415 ended unchanged.
Shares in Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX:SUN) rose to 52-week highs; up 7.84% or 0.930 to 12.790. Shares in Qbe Insurance Group Ltd (ASX:QBE) rose to 52-week highs; up 3.21% or 0.360 to 11.580.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 1.79% to 11.326.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.58% or 10.25 to $1752.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 2.74% or 1.87 to hit $66.41 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 2.63% or 1.86 to trade at $68.84 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.05% to 0.7357, while AUD/JPY rose 0.07% to 81.04.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.05% at 92.757.