Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Gold, Metals & Mining and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.40% to hit a new 52-week high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were M Pharma Fp (AX:MYX), which rose 7.06% or 0.090 points to trade at 1.365 at the close. Meanwhile, A2 Milk Company Ltd (AX:A2M) added 6.15% or 0.120 points to end at 2.070 and Independence Group NL (AX:IGO) was up 5.50% or 0.220 points to 4.220 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Sydney Airport Holdings Ltd (AX:SYD), which fell 5.47% or 0.350 points to trade at 6.050 at the close. Sonic Healthcare Ltd (AX:SHL) declined 2.54% or 0.550 points to end at 21.120 and Sirtex Medical Ltd (AX:SRX) was down 1.96% or 0.290 points to 14.470.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 555 to 476 and 301 ended unchanged.
Shares in Sirtex Medical Ltd (AX:SRX) fell to 52-week lows; losing 1.96% or 0.290 to 14.470.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.29% to 10.534 a new 52-week low.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.34% or 3.85 to $1137.45 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.36% or 0.19 to hit $53.49 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 0.31% or 0.17 to trade at $55.52 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.06% to 0.7256, while AUD/JPY fell 0.26% to 85.31.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.15% at 103.10.