Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Gold, Healthcare and Consumer Discretionary sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.84%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Isentia Group Ltd (AX:ISD), which rose 5.63% or 0.120 points to trade at 2.250 at the close. Meanwhile, Newcrest Mining Ltd (AX:NCM) added 4.10% or 0.810 points to end at 20.570 and Altium Ltd (AX:ALU) was up 4.08% or 0.345 points to 8.805 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sky Network Television Ltd. (AX:SKT), which fell 4.59% or 0.150 points to trade at 3.120 at the close. Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (AX:CCL) declined 3.74% or 0.320 points to end at 8.240 and Speedcast International Ltd (AX:SDA) was down 3.23% or 0.120 points to 3.600.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 657 to 431 and 375 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sky Network Television Ltd. (AX:SKT) fell to 5-year lows; losing 4.59% or 0.150 to 3.120. Shares in Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd (AX:CCL) fell to 52-week lows; down 3.74% or 0.320 to 8.240.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.63% to 12.745.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.22% or 2.79 to $1257.09 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.60% or 0.28 to hit $46.62 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.58% or 0.28 to trade at $48.88 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.19% to 0.7938, while AUD/JPY rose 0.09% to 88.12.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.14% at 93.69.