Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Energy , IT and Telecoms Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.15% to hit a new 3-months high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM ), which rose 4.92% or 0.02 points to trade at 0.32 at the close. Meanwhile, Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP ) added 3.08% or 0.06 points to end at 2.01 and Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC ) was up 2.99% or 0.02 points to 0.69 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SKC ), which fell 3.35% or 0.03 points to trade at 0.87 at the close. Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS ) declined 2.76% or 0.03 points to end at 0.88 and Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG ) was down 2.40% or 0.02 points to 0.61.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 565 to 538 and 439 ended unchanged.
Shares in Skycity Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SKC ) fell to all time lows; losing 3.35% or 0.03 to 0.87. Shares in Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS ) fell to 5-year lows; falling 2.76% or 0.03 to 0.88.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was up 0.66% to 10.55.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.75% or 24.94 to $3,297.46 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 1.75% or 1.08 to hit $62.92 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract rose 1.59% or 1.02 to trade at $65.34 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.25% to 0.64, while AUD/JPY rose 0.72% to 93.74.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.25% at 100.03.