Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.31% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Bendigo And Adelaide Bank Ltd (AX:BEN), which rose 5.25% or 0.520 points to trade at 10.430 at the close. Meanwhile, Bega Cheese Ltd (AX:BGA) added 3.40% or 0.230 points to end at 7.000 and Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia Ltd (AX:GMA) was up 3.06% or 0.070 points to 2.360 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Australian Pharma Industries Ltd (AX:API), which fell 6.34% or 0.090 points to trade at 1.330 at the close. G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM) declined 4.11% or 0.095 points to end at 2.215 and Nanosonics Ltd (AX:NAN) was down 3.88% or 0.095 points to 2.355.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 673 to 552 and 396 ended unchanged.
Shares in Australian Pharma Industries Ltd (AX:API) fell to 3-years lows; down 6.34% or 0.090 to 1.330. Shares in G8 Education Ltd (AX:GEM) fell to 5-year lows; losing 4.11% or 0.095 to 2.215.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 6.35% to 11.753.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.20% or 2.70 to $1335.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June fell 0.13% or 0.09 to hit $68.31 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract fell 0.04% or 0.03 to trade at $74.03 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.00% to 0.7672, while AUD/JPY rose 0.15% to 82.72.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.09% at 90.16.