Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.54% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Lynas Corporation Ltd (AX:LYC), which rose 7.14% or 0.130 points to trade at 1.950 at the close. Meanwhile, Syrah Resources Ltd (AX:SYR) added 5.59% or 0.240 points to end at 4.530 and Orocobre Ltd (AX:ORE) was up 5.24% or 0.330 points to 6.630 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG), which fell 25.28% or 0.670 points to trade at 1.980 at the close. Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) declined 6.37% or 0.240 points to end at 3.530 and Carsales.Com Ltd (AX:CAR) was down 3.10% or 0.470 points to 14.680.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 677 to 534 and 392 ended unchanged.
Shares in Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG) fell to 5-year lows; losing 25.28% or 0.670 to 1.980. Shares in Syrah Resources Ltd (AX:SYR) rose to 52-week highs; up 5.59% or 0.240 to 4.530. Shares in Orocobre Ltd (AX:ORE) rose to all time highs; gaining 5.24% or 0.330 to 6.630.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.90% to 10.752.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.05% or 0.60 to $1266.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.30% or 0.17 to hit $57.39 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 0.19% or 0.12 to trade at $63.53 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.10% to 0.7670, while AUD/JPY rose 0.13% to 86.38.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 93.22.