Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.12%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (AX:NEC), which rose 16.22% or 0.28 points to trade at 1.97 at the close. Meanwhile, Webjet Ltd (AX:WEB) added 16.04% or 1.660 points to end at 12.010 and Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT) was up 10.37% or 5.190 points to 55.260 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL), which fell 14.73% or 23.50 points to trade at 136.00 at the close. Myer Holdings Ltd (AX:MYR) declined 5.83% or 0.030 points to end at 0.485 and Iress Ltd (AX:IRE) was down 5.35% or 0.620 points to 10.970.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 621 to 612 and 372 ended unchanged.
Shares in Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (AX:NEC) rose to 52-week highs; up 16.22% or 0.28 to 1.97. Shares in Myer Holdings Ltd (AX:MYR) fell to all time lows; losing 5.83% or 0.030 to 0.485. Shares in Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 10.37% or 5.190 to 55.260.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.15% to 14.267.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.47% or 6.20 to $1325.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April fell 0.92% or 0.57 to hit $61.11 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 0.69% or 0.45 to trade at $64.97 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.03% to 0.7806, while AUD/JPY fell 0.32% to 83.84.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.01% at 90.04.