Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Energy, Resources and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.65% to hit a new 6-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL), which rose 8.93% or 0.490 points to trade at 5.980 at the close. Meanwhile, Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) added 7.12% or 0.195 points to end at 2.935 and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (AX:FMG) was up 6.87% or 0.200 points to 3.110 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were G.U.D. Holdings Ltd (AX:GUD), which fell 6.67% or 0.620 points to trade at 8.680 at the close. Austal Ltd (AX:ASB) declined 5.03% or 0.075 points to end at 1.415 and Retail Food Group Ltd (AX:RFG) was down 3.68% or 0.210 points to 5.490.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 609 to 446 and 340 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.66% to 17.414.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.29% or 3.65 to $1277.85 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 1.07% or 0.51 to hit $48.23 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.61% or 0.30 to trade at $49.27 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.80% to 0.7347, while AUD/JPY rose 0.97% to 80.23.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.04% at 94.49.