Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Energy, Utilities and A-REITs sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.30%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Santos Ltd (AX:STO), which rose 16.18% or 0.880 points to trade at 6.320 at the close. Meanwhile, Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (AX:KAR) added 7.65% or 0.145 points to end at 2.040 and Origin Energy Ltd (AX:ORG) was up 5.71% or 0.320 points to 5.920 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Transfield Services Ltd (AX:TSE), which fell 8.33% or 0.095 points to trade at 1.045 at the close. Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM) declined 7.59% or 0.055 points to end at 0.670 and Greencross Ltd (AX:GXL) was down 6.90% or 0.460 points to 6.210.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 509 to 477 and 121 ended unchanged.
Shares in Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM) fell to all time lows; losing 7.59% or 0.055 to 0.670.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 2.91% to 17.739 a new 1-month low.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.11% or 1.30 to $1168.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.51% or 0.23 to hit $45.43 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.57% or 0.28 to trade at $48.12 a barrel.
AUD/USD was down 0.10% to 0.7203, while AUD/JPY fell 0.27% to 86.24.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.04% at 95.03.