Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Energy, Consumer Staples and Gold sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.13%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were STW Communications Group Ltd (ASX:SGN), which rose 6.42% or 0.035 points to trade at 0.580 at the close. Meanwhile, Platinum Asset Management Ltd (ASX:PTM) added 4.77% or 0.350 points to end at 7.690 and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (ASX:KAR) was up 4.58% or 0.110 points to 2.510 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bradken Ltd (ASX:BKN), which fell 6.47% or 0.150 points to trade at 2.170 at the close. Senex Energy Ltd (ASX:SXY) declined 6.06% or 0.020 points to end at 0.310 and Pacific Brands Ltd (ASX:PBG) was down 4.05% or 0.015 points to 0.355.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 544 to 474 and 215 ended unchanged.
Shares in Pacific Brands Ltd (ASX:PBG) fell to 5-year lows; down 4.05% or 0.015 to 0.355.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.61% to 18.159.
Gold for August delivery was up 0.37% or 4.30 to $1181.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 1.55% or 0.94 to hit $61.08 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.96% or 0.62 to trade at $65.50 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.38% to 0.7719, while AUD/JPY fell 0.72% to 94.95.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.32% at 94.86.