Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Energy and IT sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.42%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Eclipx Group Ltd (ASX:ECX), which rose 7.24% or 0.105 points to trade at 1.555 at the close. Meanwhile, CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) added 6.61% or 14.50 points to end at 234.00 and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) was up 6.19% or 0.030 points to 0.515 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Pact Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:PGH), which fell 16.91% or 0.470 points to trade at 2.310 at the close. Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR) declined 8.72% or 0.390 points to end at 4.080 and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) was down 7.50% or 0.980 points to 12.090.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 632 to 536 and 360 ended unchanged.
Shares in CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) rose to all time highs; rising 6.61% or 14.50 to 234.00.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 9.10% to 15.181.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.35% or 5.30 to $1508.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 1.10% or 0.63 to hit $56.47 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.80% or 0.49 to trade at $60.81 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.21% to 0.6785, while AUD/JPY fell 0.54% to 72.19.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.02% at 97.607.