Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, Metals & Mining and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.85% 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 11.43% or 0.040 points to trade at 0.390 at the close. Meanwhile, Elders Ltd (ASX:ELD) added 8.29% or 0.520 points to end at 6.790 and Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) was up 7.41% or 0.050 points to 0.725 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Pendal Group Ltd (ASX:PDL), which fell 5.12% or 0.460 points to trade at 8.530 at the close. Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:CGC) declined 2.73% or 0.070 points to end at 2.490 and Cooper Energy Ltd (ASX:COE) was down 2.50% or 0.015 points to 0.585.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 686 to 485 and 343 ended unchanged.
Shares in Avita Medical (ASX:AVH) rose to 5-year highs; up 7.41% or 0.050 to 0.725.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.72% to 11.011.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.69% or 10.75 to $1539.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.07% or 0.04 to hit $58.12 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.16% or 0.10 to trade at $64.30 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.03% to 0.6905, while AUD/JPY rose 0.18% to 76.02.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.02% at 97.075.