Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the A-REITs, Gold and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.25% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX:SXL), which rose 4.90% or 0.060 points to trade at 1.285 at the close. Meanwhile, Blackmores Ltd (ASX:BKL) added 4.05% or 2.99 points to end at 76.90 and Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:SIG) was up 3.88% or 0.025 points to 0.670 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nanosonics Ltd (ASX:NAN), which fell 5.21% or 0.350 points to trade at 6.370 at the close. Ioof Holdings Ltd (ASX:IFL) declined 4.38% or 0.260 points to end at 5.680 and Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX:BVS) was down 4.02% or 0.180 points to 4.300.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 641 to 531 and 372 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:SIG) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 3.88% or 0.025 to 0.670.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 2.27% to 12.942.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.08% or 1.25 to $1504.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October rose 0.45% or 0.25 to hit $56.00 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 0.30% or 0.18 to trade at $60.99 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.36% to 0.6885, while AUD/JPY rose 0.53% to 74.36.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.02% at 98.648.