Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.44%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Independence Group NL (AX:IGO), which rose 5.65% or 0.240 points to trade at 4.490 at the close. Meanwhile, Sandfire Resources NL (AX:SFR) added 5.42% or 0.360 points to end at 7.000 and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (AX:FMG) was up 5.25% or 0.190 points to 3.810 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were TPG Telecom Ltd (AX:TPM), which fell 5.16% or 0.450 points to trade at 8.270 at the close. Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) declined 3.24% or 0.080 points to end at 2.390 and Infigen Energy (AX:IFN) was down 2.61% or 0.015 points to 0.560.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 654 to 510 and 384 ended unchanged.
Shares in Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) fell to all time lows; down 3.24% or 0.080 to 2.390. Shares in Infigen Energy (AX:IFN) fell to 52-week lows; down 2.61% or 0.015 to 0.560.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 7.12% to 12.070.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.48% or 5.80 to $1208.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.10% or 0.07 to hit $69.66 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 0.04% or 0.03 to trade at $79.06 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.40% to 0.7247, while AUD/JPY rose 0.35% to 81.37.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.13% at 94.10.