Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the IT, Healthcare and Consumer Discretionary sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.62% to hit a new 6-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd (AX:PRG), which rose 4.86% or 0.080 points to trade at 1.725 at the close. Meanwhile, Sirtex Medical Ltd (AX:SRX) added 4.11% or 1.240 points to end at 31.400 and Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS) was up 4.02% or 0.080 points to 2.070 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Cimic Group Ltd (AX:CIM), which fell 19.38% or 6.450 points to trade at 26.840 at the close. Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) declined 7.08% or 0.300 points to end at 3.940 and Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) was down 4.80% or 0.130 points to 2.580.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 656 to 423 and 307 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.15% to 14.368 a new 3-months low.
Gold for August delivery was down 0.23% or 3.05 to $1329.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.22% or 0.10 to hit $45.55 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.24% or 0.11 to trade at $46.77 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.09% to 0.7501, while AUD/JPY fell 0.06% to 79.62.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.04% at 97.10.