Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Resources sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.25% to hit a new 52-week high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN), which rose 5.18% or 0.095 points to trade at 1.930 at the close. Meanwhile, Northern Star Resources Ltd (AX:NST) added 4.83% or 0.160 points to end at 3.470 and St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) was up 3.79% or 0.068 points to 1.847 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Dexus Property Group (AX:DXS), which fell 4.15% or 0.410 points to trade at 9.470 at the close. Growthpoint Properties Australia (AX:GOZ) declined 3.85% or 0.130 points to end at 3.250 and BWP Trust (AX:BWP) was down 3.61% or 0.110 points to 2.940.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 567 to 374 and 295 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 0.04% to 12.164.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.74% or 8.45 to $1149.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.67% or 0.36 to hit $53.70 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.28% or 0.16 to trade at $56.80 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.40% to 0.7206, while AUD/JPY fell 0.05% to 84.08.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.35% at 102.88.