Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms Services, Utilities and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.54% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Brickworks Ltd (ASX:BKW), which rose 6.37% or 1.050 points to trade at 17.540 at the close. Meanwhile, Speedcast International Ltd (ASX:SDA) added 5.98% or 0.070 points to end at 1.240 and Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX:BGA) was up 4.81% or 0.210 points to 4.580 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX:NHC), which fell 3.97% or 0.100 points to trade at 2.420 at the close. Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX:PME) declined 3.69% or 1.100 points to end at 28.740 and Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR) was down 3.37% or 0.120 points to 3.440.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 585 to 574 and 363 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.11% to 12.504.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.83% or 12.65 to $1503.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.40% or 0.23 to hit $58.27 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 0.36% or 0.23 to trade at $63.83 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.58% to 0.6787, while AUD/JPY fell 1.05% to 73.25.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.15% at 97.988.