Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, A-REITs and Consumer Staples sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.04%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS), which rose 7.99% or 0.270 points to trade at 3.650 at the close. Meanwhile, Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (AX:ALL) added 7.98% or 2.220 points to end at 30.030 and A2 Milk Company Ltd (AX:A2M) was up 5.38% or 0.500 points to 9.800 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Technology One Ltd (AX:TNE), which fell 5.92% or 0.270 points to trade at 4.290 at the close. Monadelphous Group Ltd (AX:MND) declined 4.89% or 0.770 points to end at 14.970 and Ausdrill Ltd (AX:ASL) was down 4.58% or 0.120 points to 2.500.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 625 to 573 and 388 ended unchanged.
Shares in Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 7.99% or 0.270 to 3.650. Shares in Technology One Ltd (AX:TNE) fell to 52-week lows; down 5.92% or 0.270 to 4.290. Shares in Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (AX:ALL) rose to all time highs; gaining 7.98% or 2.220 to 30.030.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.86% to 13.488.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.27% or 3.50 to $1293.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 0.32% or 0.23 to hit $71.61 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 0.38% or 0.30 to trade at $79.50 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.01% to 0.7561, while AUD/JPY fell 0.52% to 82.78.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.10% at 93.82.