Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Healthcare, IT and Telecoms Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.23%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (AX:TAH), which rose 5.26% or 0.250 points to trade at 5.000 at the close. Meanwhile, Sims Metal Management Ltd (AX:SGM) added 3.41% or 0.470 points to end at 14.250 and St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) was up 3.30% or 0.100 points to 3.130 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Costa Group Holdings Ltd (AX:CGC), which fell 3.39% or 0.230 points to trade at 6.550 at the close. Australian Agricultural Company Ltd (AX:AAC) declined 3.21% or 0.045 points to end at 1.355 and Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) was down 3.18% or 0.035 points to 1.065.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 688 to 494 and 371 ended unchanged.
Shares in Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (AX:TAH) rose to 52-week highs; up 5.26% or 0.250 to 5.000. Shares in Australian Agricultural Company Ltd (AX:AAC) fell to 52-week lows; losing 3.21% or 0.045 to 1.355. Shares in St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) rose to 52-week highs; up 3.30% or 0.100 to 3.130.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 7.24% to 12.381.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.36% or 4.60 to $1282.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.25% or 0.14 to hit $55.28 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 0.26% or 0.16 to trade at $61.20 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.22% to 0.7571, while AUD/JPY fell 0.68% to 85.20.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.33% at 93.53.