Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Gold, Consumer Staples and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.37%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:CGC), which rose 8.59% or 0.25 points to trade at 3.16 at the close. Meanwhile, Nufarm Ltd (ASX:NUF) added 5.61% or 0.28 points to end at 5.27 and Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX:PRU) was up 4.53% or 0.09 points to 1.96 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME), which fell 5.83% or 2.45 points to trade at 39.60 at the close. Elders Ltd (ASX:ELD) declined 5.80% or 0.85 points to end at 13.81 and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX:PBH) was down 5.56% or 0.14 points to 2.38.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 769 to 592 and 403 ended unchanged.
Shares in Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) fell to 52-week lows; losing 5.83% or 2.45 to 39.60. Shares in Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX:PBH) fell to 52-week lows; losing 5.56% or 0.14 to 2.38.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.62% to 16.22.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.46% or 8.65 to $1,856.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 1.08% or 1.19 to hit $110.96 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 1.06% or 1.17 to trade at $111.86 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.01% to 0.71, while AUD/JPY rose 0.29% to 90.33.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.20% at 102.07.