Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Resources, Materials and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.83%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Sandfire Resources NL (ASX:SFR), which rose 11.11% or 0.620 points to trade at 6.200 at the close. Meanwhile, Nanosonics Ltd (ASX:NAN) added 9.53% or 0.53 points to end at 6.09 and Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) was up 9.24% or 1.83 points to 21.63 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Service Stream Ltd (ASX:SSM), which fell 21.41% or 0.365 points to trade at 1.340 at the close. A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX:A2M) declined 16.17% or 1.69 points to end at 8.76 and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) was down 7.85% or 0.260 points to 3.050.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 736 to 618 and 346 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sandfire Resources NL (ASX:SFR) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 11.11% or 0.620 to 6.200. Shares in Service Stream Ltd (ASX:SSM) fell to 3-years lows; losing 21.41% or 0.365 to 1.340. Shares in A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX:A2M) fell to 52-week lows; falling 16.17% or 1.69 to 8.76.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 6.76% to 14.240.
Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.35% or 6.30 to $1791.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in April rose 0.65% or 0.41 to hit $63.63 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract rose 0.68% or 0.45 to trade at $66.63 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.11% to 0.7976, while AUD/JPY rose 0.29% to 84.58.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.14% at 90.047.