Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Healthcare, IT and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 1.00%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Wisetech Global Ltd (AX:WTC), which rose 5.88% or 0.950 points to trade at 17.110 at the close. Meanwhile, Sonic Healthcare Ltd (AX:SHL) added 5.85% or 1.470 points to end at 26.590 and Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT) was up 4.52% or 0.470 points to 10.870 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM), which fell 3.20% or 0.080 points to trade at 2.420 at the close. Origin Energy Ltd (AX:ORG) declined 2.88% or 0.280 points to end at 9.450 and Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (AX:CLW) was down 2.87% or 0.125 points to 4.235.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 642 to 466 and 398 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sonic Healthcare Ltd (AX:SHL) rose to all time highs; up 5.85% or 1.470 to 26.590. Shares in Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT) rose to all time highs; gaining 4.52% or 0.470 to 10.870.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.99% to 12.733.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.11% or 1.40 to $1243.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.57% or 0.40 to hit $70.78 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 1.74% or 1.28 to trade at $74.68 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.18% to 0.7381, while AUD/JPY rose 0.47% to 82.89.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 94.52.