Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Energy, Resources and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.14%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT), which rose 5.65% or 0.050 points to trade at 0.935 at the close. Meanwhile, Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM) added 4.67% or 0.640 points to end at 14.350 and Mineral Resources Ltd (AX:MIN) was up 3.54% or 0.640 points to 18.740 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Fletcher Building Ltd (AX:FBU), which fell 5.26% or 0.380 points to trade at 6.840 at the close. Australian Pharma Industries Ltd (AX:API) declined 3.98% or 0.065 points to end at 1.570 and GWA Group Ltd (AX:GWA) was down 3.62% or 0.100 points to 2.660.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 611 to 598 and 332 ended unchanged.
Shares in Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) rose to 52-week highs; rising 5.65% or 0.050 to 0.935. Shares in Fletcher Building Ltd (AX:FBU) fell to 52-week lows; falling 5.26% or 0.380 to 6.840.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.22% to 11.114.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.23% or 2.92 to $1275.38 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 0.25% or 0.13 to hit $52.34 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to trade at $58.33 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.69% to 0.7722, while AUD/JPY fell 0.76% to 87.92.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.02% at 93.81.