Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Gold, IT and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.39%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG), which rose 9.75% or 0.135 points to trade at 1.520 at the close. Meanwhile, Cooper Energy Ltd (ASX:COE) added 8.74% or 0.045 points to end at 0.560 and Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC) was up 4.93% or 0.180 points to 3.830 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sims Metal Management Ltd (ASX:SGM), which fell 3.86% or 0.410 points to trade at 10.220 at the close. Platinum Asset Management Ltd (ASX:PTM) declined 3.40% or 0.170 points to end at 4.830 and Emeco Holdings Ltd (ASX:EHL) was down 3.33% or 0.070 points to 2.030.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 721 to 468 and 345 ended unchanged.
Shares in Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG) rose to 52-week highs; rising 9.75% or 0.135 to 1.520.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.19% to 11.255.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.72% or 10.15 to $1422.65 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.51% or 0.31 to hit $60.74 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.54% or 0.36 to trade at $67.37 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.22% to 0.6973, while AUD/JPY fell 0.22% to 75.30.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.16% at 96.553.