Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Materials and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.39% to hit a new 52-week high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Nearmap Ltd (ASX:NEA), which rose 14.56% or 0.300 points to trade at 2.360 at the close. Meanwhile, Janus Henderson Group PLC DRC (ASX:JHG) added 4.11% or 1.84 points to end at 46.60 and Qbe Insurance Group Ltd (ASX:QBE) was up 4.08% or 0.410 points to 10.450 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Flight Centre Ltd (ASX:FLT), which fell 5.39% or 0.87 points to trade at 15.27 at the close. Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX:DHG) declined 3.04% or 0.15 points to end at 4.78 and Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT) was down 3.46% or 3.83 points to 106.96.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 868 to 521 and 339 ended unchanged.
Shares in Janus Henderson Group PLC DRC (ASX:JHG) rose to 3-years highs; up 4.11% or 1.84 to 46.60.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 10.28% to 12.387.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.03% or 0.45 to $1776.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 1.04% or 0.68 to hit $66.37 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 3.08% or 2.08 to trade at $69.64 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.09% to 0.7712, while AUD/JPY rose 0.20% to 84.41.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.52% at 91.400.