Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, Financials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.01% to hit a new 1-month high.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIP), which rose 5.71% or 0.070 points to trade at 1.295 at the close. Meanwhile, Gateway Lifestyle Group (AX:GTY) added 4.42% or 0.095 points to end at 2.245 and Nextdc Ltd (AX:NXT) was up 4.14% or 0.130 points to 3.270 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Boral Ltd. (AX:BLD), which fell 18.86% or 1.160 points to trade at 4.990 at the close. Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR) declined 8.18% or 0.090 points to end at 1.010 and St Barbara Ltd (AX:SBM) was down 5.25% or 0.125 points to 2.255.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 584 to 462 and 337 ended unchanged.
Shares in Boral Ltd. (AX:BLD) fell to 52-week lows; down 18.86% or 1.160 to 4.990.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.00% to 12.127 a new 1-month low.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.18% or 2.15 to $1185.65 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 0.08% or 0.04 to hit $47.98 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to trade at $48.95 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.16% to 0.7372, while AUD/JPY rose 0.05% to 83.11.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.11% at 101.84.