Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the IT , Financials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.56% to hit a new 3-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB ), which rose 2.98% or 0.66 points to trade at 22.81 at the close. Meanwhile, Corporate Travel Managment Ltd (ASX: CTD ) added 2.53% or 0.33 points to end at 13.36 and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd (ASX: FPH ) was up 2.37% or 0.79 points to 34.12 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS ), which fell 7.33% or 0.07 points to trade at 0.88 at the close. Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF ) declined 5.60% or 0.14 points to end at 2.36 and Rea Group Ltd (ASX: REA ) was down 3.49% or 8.76 points to 242.18.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 564 to 512 and 455 ended unchanged.
Shares in Brambles Ltd (ASX: BXB ) rose to all time highs; up 2.98% or 0.66 to 22.81. Shares in Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS ) fell to 5-year lows; down 7.33% or 0.07 to 0.88. Shares in Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF ) fell to 5-year lows; down 5.60% or 0.14 to 2.36.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.51% to 11.21 a new 3-months low.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 1.40% or 47.54 to $3,346.96 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 0.23% or 0.14 to hit $61.67 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 0.28% or 0.18 to trade at $64.30 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.25% to 0.65, while AUD/JPY rose 0.16% to 92.80.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.05% at 98.91.