Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Energy, Gold and IT sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.66%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX:NIC), which rose 6.53% or 0.095 points to trade at 1.550 at the close. Meanwhile, Appen Ltd (ASX:APX) added 5.52% or 0.54 points to end at 10.33 and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX:BPT) was up 5.34% or 0.070 points to 1.380 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Domino'S Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX:DMP), which fell 4.19% or 4.70 points to trade at 107.50 at the close. Reece Ltd (ASX:REH) declined 3.52% or 0.92 points to end at 25.20 and Metcash Ltd (ASX:MTS) was down 2.34% or 0.100 points to 4.170.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 833 to 565 and 406 ended unchanged.
Shares in Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX:NIC) rose to all time highs; up 6.53% or 0.095 to 1.550.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.23% to 12.983.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.13% or 2.45 to $1816.05 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.17% or 0.14 to hit $81.36 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.01% or 0.01 to trade at $83.71 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.01% to 0.7208, while AUD/JPY rose 0.08% to 83.18.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 95.662.