Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.84%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Graincorp Ltd (AX:GNC), which rose 26.71% or 1.950 points to trade at 9.250 at the close. Meanwhile, Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL) added 12.02% or 0.880 points to end at 8.200 and Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL) was up 11.49% or 1.290 points to 12.520 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM), which fell 7.88% or 0.350 points to trade at 4.090 at the close. Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) declined 5.05% or 0.140 points to end at 2.630 and Ausdrill Ltd (AX:ASL) was down 3.10% or 0.045 points to 1.405.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 769 to 417 and 316 ended unchanged.
Shares in Graincorp Ltd (AX:GNC) rose to 52-week highs; rising 26.71% or 1.950 to 9.250.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 14.09% to 14.832.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.51% or 6.20 to $1232.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 5.32% or 2.71 to hit $53.64 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 4.94% or 2.94 to trade at $62.40 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.83% to 0.7367, while AUD/JPY rose 0.77% to 83.61.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.43% at 96.775.