Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Healthcare, Consumer Staples and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.40%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Alumina Ltd (AX:AWC), which rose 5.44% or 0.130 points to trade at 2.520 at the close. Meanwhile, IPH Ltd (AX:IPH) added 5.26% or 0.180 points to end at 3.600 and Macquarie Atlas Roads Group (AX:MQA) was up 4.42% or 0.250 points to 5.900 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Mineral Resources Ltd (AX:MIN), which fell 6.41% or 1.105 points to trade at 16.135 at the close. Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) declined 3.33% or 0.110 points to end at 3.190 and Monadelphous Group Ltd (AX:MND) was down 2.12% or 0.330 points to 15.220.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 601 to 585 and 377 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.21% to 14.965.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.05% or 0.70 to $1335.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 0.35% or 0.22 to hit $62.28 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 0.42% or 0.28 to trade at $67.39 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.12% to 0.7688, while AUD/JPY rose 0.17% to 82.30.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 89.85.