Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Gold, Energy and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.33%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM), which rose 7.18% or 0.065 points to trade at 0.970 at the close. Meanwhile, Estia Health Ltd (AX:EHE) added 5.31% or 0.285 points to end at 5.655 and Worleyparsons Ltd (AX:WOR) was up 5.03% or 0.260 points to 5.430 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Tassal Group Ltd (AX:TGR), which fell 7.35% or 0.280 points to trade at 3.530 at the close. Nine Ent Fpo (AX:NEC) declined 5.27% or 0.063 points to end at 1.123 and Iluka Resources Ltd (AX:ILU) was down 5.12% or 0.330 points to 6.120.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 545 to 374 and 352 ended unchanged.
Shares in Nine Ent Fpo (AX:NEC) fell to all time lows; falling 5.27% or 0.063 to 1.123.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.09% to 17.753.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.51% or 6.20 to $1230.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 0.98% or 0.37 to hit $38.12 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 0.78% or 0.31 to trade at $40.15 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.30% to 0.7620, while AUD/JPY fell 0.54% to 82.97.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.24% at 94.26.