Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Metals & Mining, Resources and Gold sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 2.12%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were South32 Ltd (AX:S32), which rose 14.21% or 0.135 points to trade at 1.085 at the close. Meanwhile, Western Areas Ltd (AX:WSA) added 13.59% or 0.250 points to end at 2.090 and Santos Ltd (AX:STO) was up 13.36% or 0.370 points to 3.140 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd (AX:PRG), which fell 35.44% or 0.645 points to trade at 1.175 at the close. Ansell Ltd (AX:ANN) declined 20.64% or 3.850 points to end at 14.800 and Domino'S Pizza Enterprises Ltd (AX:DMP) was down 5.89% or 3.380 points to 53.970.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 533 to 374 and 277 ended unchanged.
Shares in Programmed Maintenance Services Ltd (AX:PRG) fell to all time lows; down 35.44% or 0.645 to 1.175. Shares in Ansell Ltd (AX:ANN) fell to 3-years lows; falling 20.64% or 3.850 to 14.800.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 7.05% to 22.530.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.23% or 2.60 to $1143.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 1.91% or 0.61 to hit $32.90 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 1.68% or 0.59 to trade at $35.63 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.16% to 0.7178, while AUD/JPY rose 0.21% to 84.69.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.17% at 97.41.