Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Industrials, IT and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.15%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Slater & Gordon Ltd (AX:SGH), which rose 9.50% or 0.085 points to trade at 0.980 at the close. Meanwhile, Austal Ltd (AX:ASB) added 6.44% or 0.095 points to end at 1.570 and Flight Centre Ltd (AX:FLT) was up 5.08% or 1.880 points to 38.880 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Cardno Ltd (AX:CDD), which fell 4.81% or 0.065 points to trade at 1.285 at the close. Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (AX:KAR) declined 4.52% or 0.075 points to end at 1.585 and M Pharma Fp (AX:MYX) was down 4.15% or 0.060 points to 1.385.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 580 to 429 and 148 ended unchanged.
Shares in Cardno Ltd (AX:CDD) fell to 5-year lows; down 4.81% or 0.065 to 1.285.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 5.97% to 16.803 a new 3-months low.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.17% or 1.80 to $1078.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.68% or 0.24 to hit $36.05 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 0.72% or 0.26 to trade at $36.48 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.43% to 0.7222, while AUD/JPY rose 0.43% to 87.52.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.01% at 98.44.