Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, Gold and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.58% to hit a new 5-year high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Magellan Financial Group Ltd (AX:MFG), which rose 15.29% or 3.690 points to trade at 27.830 at the close. Meanwhile, Crown Ltd (AX:CWN) added 6.98% or 0.930 points to end at 14.250 and Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIG) was up 6.57% or 0.033 points to 0.527 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL), which fell 4.95% or 0.510 points to trade at 9.800 at the close. AGL Energy Ltd (AX:AGL) declined 4.27% or 0.940 points to end at 21.070 and Orora Ltd (AX:ORA) was down 3.48% or 0.12 points to 3.46.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 667 to 549 and 371 ended unchanged.
Shares in Crown Ltd (AX:CWN) rose to 3-years highs; rising 6.98% or 0.930 to 14.250.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.26% to 10.947 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.15% or 1.80 to $1222.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September rose 0.16% or 0.11 to hit $67.05 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 0.28% or 0.20 to trade at $72.48 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.17% to 0.7440, while AUD/JPY rose 0.17% to 82.56.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.01% at 94.96.