Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Healthcare, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.12% to hit a new 52-week high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Domino'S Pizza Enterprises Ltd (AX:DMP), which rose 7.65% or 4.100 points to trade at 57.660 at the close. Meanwhile, Whitehaven Coal Ltd (AX:WHC) added 5.76% or 0.160 points to end at 2.940 and Orora Fpo (AX:ORA) was up 5.05% or 0.150 points to 3.120 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Telstra Corporation Ltd. (AX:TLS), which fell 6.36% or 0.330 points to trade at 4.860 at the close. TPG Telecom Ltd (AX:TPM) declined 5.22% or 0.350 points to end at 6.350 and Vocus Fpo (AX:VOC) was down 4.65% or 0.200 points to 4.100.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 592 to 501 and 346 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.35% to 11.480 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.26% or 3.15 to $1236.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 0.13% or 0.07 to hit $53.04 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 0.04% or 0.02 to trade at $55.73 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.00% to 0.7710, while AUD/JPY fell 0.26% to 87.78.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.17% at 100.91.