Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, Healthcare and Telecoms Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 1.27%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Silver Lake Resources Ltd (ASX:SLR), which rose 8.33% or 0.075 points to trade at 0.975 at the close. Meanwhile, CYBG PLC (ASX:CYB) added 7.23% or 0.170 points to end at 2.520 and Nearmap Ltd (ASX:NEA) was up 7.09% or 0.190 points to 2.870 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (ASX:APT), which fell 7.22% or 2.640 points to trade at 33.920 at the close. Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL) declined 6.38% or 0.060 points to end at 0.880 and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) was down 4.76% or 0.015 points to 0.300.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 721 to 440 and 347 ended unchanged.
Shares in Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL) fell to 3-years lows; down 6.38% or 0.060 to 0.880.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.07% to 13.038.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.04% or 0.65 to $1484.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.32% or 0.17 to hit $52.98 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.37% or 0.22 to trade at $58.96 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.15% to 0.6742, while AUD/JPY fell 0.27% to 73.30.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.07% at 97.933.