Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms Services, Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Staples sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.05% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Graincorp Ltd (ASX:GNC), which rose 11.70% or 0.64 points to trade at 6.11 at the close. Meanwhile, Qbe Insurance Group Ltd (ASX:QBE) added 8.12% or 0.940 points to end at 12.510 and Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX:IAG) was up 6.03% or 0.310 points to 5.450 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO), which fell 6.88% or 8.880 points to trade at 120.260 at the close. AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) declined 5.53% or 0.42 points to end at 7.18 and Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) was down 4.87% or 0.60 points to 11.73.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 743 to 623 and 415 ended unchanged.
Shares in Graincorp Ltd (ASX:GNC) rose to 52-week highs; rising 11.70% or 0.64 to 6.11. Shares in Qbe Insurance Group Ltd (ASX:QBE) rose to 52-week highs; up 8.12% or 0.940 to 12.510. Shares in AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) fell to all time lows; falling 5.53% or 0.42 to 7.18.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.54% to 11.173.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.28% or 4.85 to $1758.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.04% or 0.03 to hit $69.28 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 0.13% or 0.09 to trade at $71.53 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.09% to 0.7365, while AUD/JPY fell 0.11% to 81.30.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 92.905.