Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Industrials and Consumer Discretionary sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 1.59% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Nearmap Ltd (ASX:NEA), which rose 9.38% or 0.300 points to trade at 3.500 at the close. Meanwhile, Vocus Group Ltd (ASX:VOC) added 8.88% or 0.340 points to end at 4.170 and Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX:CGC) was up 6.45% or 0.240 points to 3.960 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX:SGR), which fell 15.74% or 0.710 points to trade at 3.800 at the close. AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGL) declined 7.22% or 1.510 points to end at 19.400 and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX:RRL) was down 4.57% or 0.210 points to 4.390.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 695 to 549 and 413 ended unchanged.
Shares in Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX:SGR) fell to 3-years lows; falling 15.74% or 0.710 to 3.800.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 3.98% to 13.892.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.04% or 0.55 to $1329.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 0.96% or 0.51 to hit $53.77 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 0.55% or 0.34 to trade at $62.63 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.09% to 0.6955, while AUD/JPY rose 0.07% to 75.55.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 96.743.