Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.34%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Lynas Corporation Ltd (ASX:LYC), which rose 11.98% or 0.260 points to trade at 2.430 at the close. Meanwhile, Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG) added 5.88% or 0.080 points to end at 1.440 and Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR) was up 5.19% or 0.32 points to 6.48 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX:IAG), which fell 5.26% or 0.280 points to trade at 5.040 at the close. Corporate Travel Managment Ltd (ASX:CTD) declined 4.07% or 0.38 points to end at 8.95 and Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:CUV) was down 3.94% or 0.92 points to 22.43.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 699 to 564 and 354 ended unchanged.
Shares in Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX:IAG) fell to 3-years lows; falling 5.26% or 0.280 to 5.040. Shares in Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (ASX:SAR) rose to all time highs; up 5.19% or 0.32 to 6.48.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 6.46% to 18.864.
Gold Futures for August delivery was up 1.69% or 32.00 to $1929.50 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 0.39% or 0.16 to hit $41.13 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.43% or 0.19 to trade at $43.59 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.47% to 0.7137, while AUD/JPY fell 0.15% to 75.25.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.57% at 93.843.