Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Industrials, Consumer Staples and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.03%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were ALS Ltd (AX:ALQ), which rose 12.65% or 0.740 points to trade at 6.590 at the close. Meanwhile, Vocus Group Ltd (AX:VOC) added 7.09% or 0.200 points to end at 3.020 and Iluka Resources Ltd (AX:ILU) was up 6.64% or 0.570 points to 9.150 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIG), which fell 31.22% or 0.370 points to trade at 0.815 at the close. Resolute Mining Ltd (AX:RSG) declined 6.07% or 0.075 points to end at 1.160 and St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) was down 6.07% or 0.185 points to 2.865.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 550 to 510 and 361 ended unchanged.
Shares in ALS Ltd (AX:ALQ) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 12.65% or 0.740 to 6.590. Shares in Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIG) fell to 52-week lows; down 31.22% or 0.370 to 0.815. Shares in Iluka Resources Ltd (AX:ILU) rose to 3-years highs; rising 6.64% or 0.570 to 9.150.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.44% to 12.415.
Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.52% or 6.48 to $1249.02 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 0.25% or 0.13 to hit $51.60 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.30% or 0.16 to trade at $54.31 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.41% to 0.7449, while AUD/JPY fell 0.23% to 83.39.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 97.34.