Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the IT, Healthcare and Consumer Discretionary sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.83% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS), which rose 10.00% or 0.030 points to trade at 0.330 at the close. Meanwhile, Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) added 8.31% or 0.155 points to end at 2.020 and Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX:JIN) was up 7.88% or 1.180 points to 16.160 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG), which fell 3.57% or 0.045 points to trade at 1.215 at the close. St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) declined 3.48% or 0.100 points to end at 2.770 and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) was down 3.20% or 0.390 points to 11.810.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 717 to 422 and 355 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 6.05% to 12.230.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 1.20% or 18.75 to $1541.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.08% or 0.05 to hit $59.66 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.05% or 0.03 to trade at $65.47 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.10% to 0.6872, while AUD/JPY rose 0.27% to 75.11.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.02% at 97.020.