Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare, IT and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.99% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL), which rose 15.59% or 1.500 points to trade at 11.120 at the close. Meanwhile, Eclipx Group Ltd (AX:ECX) added 7.69% or 0.075 points to end at 1.050 and Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC) was up 4.73% or 1.010 points to 22.350 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were New Hope Corporation Ltd (AX:NHC), which fell 4.51% or 0.130 points to trade at 2.750 at the close. Iluka Resources Ltd (AX:ILU) declined 3.89% or 0.360 points to end at 8.900 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was down 3.75% or 0.180 points to 4.620.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 630 to 532 and 407 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.30% to 11.495.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.05% or 0.65 to $1272.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June fell 0.50% or 0.33 to hit $65.97 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract fell 0.39% or 0.29 to trade at $74.22 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.88% to 0.7038, while AUD/JPY fell 0.93% to 78.69.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 97.355.