Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, Energy and Resources sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.12% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC), which rose 6.51% or 0.27 points to trade at 4.42 at the close. Meanwhile, Brickworks Ltd (ASX:BKW) added 4.96% or 1.08 points to end at 22.87 and JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX:JBH) was up 4.34% or 2.20 points to 52.90 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Zip Co Ltd (ASX:Z1P), which fell 5.17% or 0.09 points to trade at 1.56 at the close. Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) declined 4.31% or 0.05 points to end at 1.11 and Healius Ltd (ASX:HLS) was down 4.26% or 0.19 points to 4.27.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 778 to 622 and 394 ended unchanged.
Shares in Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC) rose to 52-week highs; rising 6.51% or 0.27 to 4.42.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.94% to 14.33 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.31% or 6.10 to $1,943.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 0.28% or 0.32 to hit $114.61 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 0.16% or 0.20 to trade at $121.80 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.29% to 0.75, while AUD/JPY rose 0.14% to 90.96.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.24% at 98.85.