Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, Utilities and Metals & Mining sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.07%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Metcash Ltd (AX:MTS), which rose 5.02% or 0.110 points to trade at 2.300 at the close. Meanwhile, Greencross Ltd (AX:GXL) added 4.20% or 0.230 points to end at 5.700 and Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL) was up 2.96% or 0.370 points to 12.850 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Aveo Group (AX:AOG), which fell 10.98% or 0.335 points to trade at 2.715 at the close. Ardent Leisure Group (AX:AAD) declined 3.02% or 0.060 points to end at 1.930 and Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) was down 2.61% or 0.015 points to 0.560.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 634 to 553 and 419 ended unchanged.
Shares in Aveo Group (AX:AOG) fell to 52-week lows; losing 10.98% or 0.335 to 2.715.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.82% to 12.577.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.08% or 1.02 to $1255.38 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 1.09% or 0.47 to hit $43.48 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 1.03% or 0.47 to trade at $46.22 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.13% to 0.7578, while AUD/JPY rose 0.12% to 84.33.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.01% at 96.97.