Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 1.10%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Santos Ltd (AX:STO), which rose 12.21% or 0.480 points to trade at 4.410 at the close. Meanwhile, Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) added 11.25% or 0.090 points to end at 0.890 and Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) was up 10.29% or 0.890 points to 9.540 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR), which fell 6.81% or 0.065 points to trade at 0.890 at the close. Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) declined 6.49% or 0.125 points to end at 1.800 and Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX) was down 6.35% or 0.290 points to 4.280.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 538 to 524 and 302 ended unchanged.
Shares in Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) rose to 52-week highs; rising 11.25% or 0.090 to 0.890. Shares in Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 10.29% or 0.890 to 9.540.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.48% to 12.350.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.26% or 3.05 to $1176.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 1.05% or 0.52 to hit $49.96 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 1.16% or 0.60 to trade at $52.44 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.41% to 0.7412, while AUD/JPY rose 0.01% to 84.50.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.22% at 101.41.