Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Healthcare, Utilities and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.24%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Bega Cheese Ltd (AX:BGA), which rose 16.85% or 0.755 points to trade at 5.235 at the close. Meanwhile, CSL Ltd (AX:CSL) added 12.47% or 12.360 points to end at 111.480 and Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL) was up 5.54% or 0.570 points to 10.850 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Galaxy Resources Ltd (AX:GXY), which fell 6.98% or 0.045 points to trade at 0.600 at the close. Viva Energy Reit Ltd (AX:VVR) declined 3.36% or 0.080 points to end at 2.300 and Vocus Fpo (AX:VOC) was down 3.21% or 0.140 points to 4.220.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 554 to 477 and 331 ended unchanged.
Shares in Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL) rose to 5-year highs; rising 5.54% or 0.570 to 10.850.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.45% to 13.251.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.87% or 10.55 to $1201.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.86% or 0.44 to hit $51.52 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.89% or 0.48 to trade at $54.40 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.15% to 0.7518, while AUD/JPY rose 0.15% to 86.20.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.05% at 101.26.