Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.68%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pacific Brands Ltd (AX:PBG), which rose 23.14% or 0.218 points to trade at 1.157 at the close. Meanwhile, Broadspectrum Ltd (AX:BRS) added 6.67% or 0.070 points to end at 1.120 and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (AX:FMG) was up 6.37% or 0.195 points to 3.255 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Independence Group NL (AX:IGO), which fell 10.42% or 0.345 points to trade at 2.965 at the close. Flexigroup Ltd (AX:FXL) declined 4.12% or 0.100 points to end at 2.330 and Evolution Mining Ltd (AX:EVN) was down 4.10% or 0.080 points to 1.870.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 612 to 403 and 308 ended unchanged.
Shares in Pacific Brands Ltd (AX:PBG) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 23.14% or 0.218 to 1.157.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.62% to 17.885.
Gold for June delivery was up 0.43% or 5.35 to $1255.75 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June fell 0.77% or 0.35 to hit $44.98 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 0.72% or 0.34 to trade at $46.59 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.17% to 0.7613, while AUD/JPY fell 2.09% to 82.91.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.39% at 94.01.