Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the IT, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.70% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX), which rose 44.23% or 2.340 points to trade at 7.630 at the close. Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (AX:PLS) added 12.20% or 0.125 points to end at 1.150 and Mayne Pharma Group Ltd (AX:MYX) was up 8.33% or 0.055 points to 0.715 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG), which fell 7.02% or 0.200 points to trade at 2.650 at the close. Aurizon Holdings Ltd (AX:AZJ) declined 5.91% or 0.320 points to end at 5.090 and Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) was down 2.33% or 0.090 points to 3.770.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 695 to 548 and 357 ended unchanged.
Shares in Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX) rose to 52-week highs; rising 44.23% or 2.340 to 7.630. Shares in Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG) fell to 5-year lows; down 7.02% or 0.200 to 2.650. Shares in Pilbara Minerals Ltd (AX:PLS) rose to all time highs; gaining 12.20% or 0.125 to 1.150.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.52% to 11.073.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.04% or 0.50 to $1258.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.14% or 0.08 to hit $57.41 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 0.24% or 0.15 to trade at $63.38 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.13% to 0.7657, while AUD/JPY rose 0.21% to 86.27.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.05% at 93.42.