Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, A-REITs and Telecoms Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.23%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Aconex Ltd (AX:ACX), which rose 6.77% or 0.210 points to trade at 3.310 at the close. Meanwhile, Vocus Fpo (AX:VOC) added 6.73% or 0.270 points to end at 4.280 and Isentia Group Ltd (AX:ISD) was up 6.35% or 0.160 points to 2.680 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were CSR Ltd (AX:CSR), which fell 4.13% or 0.180 points to trade at 4.180 at the close. Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (AX:FMG) declined 3.64% or 0.240 points to end at 6.360 and Credit Corp Group Ltd (AX:CCP) was down 3.47% or 0.590 points to 16.400.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 579 to 483 and 332 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.03% to 11.944 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.25% or 3.05 to $1242.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 0.52% or 0.27 to hit $52.61 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 0.56% or 0.31 to trade at $55.43 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.27% to 0.7624, while AUD/JPY unchanged 0.00% to 85.58.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.19% at 100.33.