Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Utilities, Energy and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.33%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Elders Ltd (AX:ELD), which rose 19.70% or 1.460 points to trade at 8.870 at the close. Meanwhile, Healthscope (AX:HSO) added 13.46% or 0.280 points to end at 2.360 and Lynas Corporation Ltd (AX:LYC) was up 9.59% or 0.210 points to 2.400 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Afterpay Touch Group Ltd (AX:APT), which fell 7.34% or 0.990 points to trade at 12.500 at the close. Lend Lease Group (AX:LLC) declined 5.85% or 0.830 points to end at 13.360 and Steadfast Group Ltd (AX:SDF) was down 5.54% or 0.170 points to 2.900.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 606 to 542 and 316 ended unchanged.
Shares in Lend Lease Group (AX:LLC) fell to 52-week lows; falling 5.85% or 0.830 to 13.360.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.61% to 13.439 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.02% or 0.30 to $1208.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 1.06% or 0.64 to hit $60.83 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 1.64% or 1.15 to trade at $71.33 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.17% to 0.7213, while AUD/JPY rose 0.05% to 82.26.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.24% at 96.97.