Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the A-REITs, Financials and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.03%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Flexigroup Ltd (AX:FXL), which rose 5.26% or 0.080 points to trade at 1.600 at the close. Meanwhile, Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) added 3.88% or 6.30 points to end at 168.83 and Costa Group Holdings Ltd (AX:CGC) was up 3.87% or 0.260 points to 6.970 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were BT Investment Management Ltd (AX:BTT), which fell 5.76% or 0.630 points to trade at 10.300 at the close. Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM) declined 4.03% or 0.025 points to end at 0.595 and oOh!Media Ltd (AX:OML) was down 3.96% or 0.180 points to 4.370.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 677 to 571 and 316 ended unchanged.
Shares in Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL) rose to 52-week highs; up 3.88% or 6.30 to 168.83. Shares in Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM) fell to all time lows; losing 4.03% or 0.025 to 0.595. Shares in Costa Group Holdings Ltd (AX:CGC) rose to all time highs; up 3.87% or 0.260 to 6.970.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.63% to 11.498.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.22% or 2.81 to $1278.61 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 0.40% or 0.23 to hit $56.97 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 0.28% or 0.18 to trade at $63.51 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.10% to 0.7651, while AUD/JPY fell 0.06% to 87.08.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.07% at 94.74.