Investing.com – Australia equities were higher at the close on Thursday, as gains in the Healthcare, Telecoms Services and Consumer Staples sectors propelled shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.36% to hit a new 1-month high.
The biggest gainers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Bluescope Steel Ltd (AX:BSL), which rose 7.24% or 0.530 points to trade at 7.850 at the close. Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (AX:SIP) added 4.86% or 0.060 points to end at 1.295 and Japara Fpo (AX:JHC) was up 4.58% or 0.115 points to 2.625 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Incitec Pivot Ltd (AX:IPL), which lost 9.58% or 0.300 points to trade at 2.830 in late trade. Orica Ltd (AX:ORI) declined 4.47% or 0.600 points to end at 12.820 and Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) shed 4.32% or 0.130 points to 2.880.
Advancing stocks outnumbered falling ones by 607 to 433 and 333 ended unchanged on the Sydney Stock Exchange.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.66% to 16.062 a new 1-month low.
In commodities trading, Gold for August delivery was down 0.70% or 9.45 to $1334.15 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 1.12% or 0.50 to hit $45.25 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.84% or 0.39 to trade at $46.65 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.04% to 0.7611, while AUD/JPY rose 0.79% to 80.13.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.02% at 96.34.