Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Energy and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.29% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Ioof Holdings Ltd (ASX:IFL), which rose 5.83% or 0.26 points to trade at 4.72 at the close. Meanwhile, Iress Ltd (ASX:IRE) added 5.78% or 0.83 points to end at 15.19 and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) was up 5.15% or 0.120 points to 2.450 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Megaport Ltd (ASX:MP1), which fell 6.31% or 1.13 points to trade at 16.77 at the close. Inghams Group Ltd (ASX:ING) declined 4.05% or 0.16 points to end at 3.79 and Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) was down 3.03% or 0.045 points to 1.440.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 724 to 676 and 370 ended unchanged.
Shares in Ioof Holdings Ltd (ASX:IFL) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 5.83% or 0.26 to 4.72. Shares in Iress Ltd (ASX:IRE) rose to all time highs; rising 5.78% or 0.83 to 15.19. Shares in Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) rose to all time highs; gaining 5.15% or 0.120 to 2.450.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.01% to 11.583.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.12% or 2.00 to $1733.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.40% or 0.27 to hit $68.56 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 0.44% or 0.31 to trade at $70.94 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.33% to 0.7326, while AUD/JPY fell 0.17% to 81.12.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.12% at 93.168.