Investing.com – Australia equities were higher at the close on Monday, as gains in the Healthcare, Metals & Mining and Gold sectors propelled shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.57%.
The biggest gainers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Saracen Mineral Holdings Ltd (AX:SAR), which rose 5.81% or 0.070 points to trade at 1.275 at the close. Primary Health Care Ltd (AX:PRY) added 5.30% or 0.175 points to end at 3.475 and Sonic Healthcare Ltd (AX:SHL) was up 4.66% or 0.950 points to 21.340 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Blackmores Ltd (AX:BKL), which lost 5.30% or 9.630 points to trade at 172.010 in late trade. Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) declined 5.05% or 0.105 points to end at 1.975 and Corp Trav F (AX:CTD) shed 3.14% or 0.480 points to 14.830.
Advancing stocks outnumbered falling ones by 534 to 531 and 317 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 up 0.52% to 18.077.
In commodities trading, Gold for June delivery was up 0.54% or 6.85 to $1279.55 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 1.32% or 0.61 to hit $46.82 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 1.36% or 0.65 to trade at $48.48 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.08% to 0.7279, while AUD/JPY rose 0.25% to 79.17.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.03% at 94.63.