Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Financials, Materials and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.68% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS), which rose 10.45% or 0.280 points to trade at 2.960 at the close. Meanwhile, Boral Ltd. (AX:BLD) added 9.97% or 0.640 points to end at 7.060 and Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL) was up 7.01% or 0.780 points to 11.910 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (AX:RWC), which fell 6.17% or 0.355 points to trade at 5.395 at the close. Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) declined 5.24% or 0.220 points to end at 3.980 and Infigen Energy (AX:IFN) was down 5.22% or 0.035 points to 0.635.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 653 to 560 and 392 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.19% to 10.772.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.44% or 5.30 to $1209.10 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 0.07% or 0.05 to hit $68.48 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 0.09% or 0.07 to trade at $76.22 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.40% to 0.7308, while AUD/JPY fell 0.40% to 81.25.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.12% at 94.74.