Investing.com – Australia equities were higher at the close on Monday, as gains in the Metals & Mining, Materials and Resources sectors propelled shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.20% to hit a new 5-year high.
The biggest gainers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Pilbara Minerals Ltd (AX:PLS), which rose 4.81% or 0.045 points to trade at 0.980 at the close. Vocus Group Ltd (AX:VOC) added 3.99% or 0.095 points to end at 2.475 and Australian Pharma Industries Ltd (AX:API) was up 3.73% or 0.055 points to 1.530 in late trade.
Biggest losers included Domino'S Pizza Enterprises Ltd (AX:DMP), which lost 4.04% or 1.980 points to trade at 47.090 in late trade. Infigen Energy (AX:IFN) declined 2.90% or 0.020 points to end at 0.670 and Caltex Australia Ltd (AX:CTX) shed 2.78% or 0.890 points to 31.180.
Advancing stocks outnumbered falling ones by 642 to 548 and 379 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 0.19% to 12.571.
In commodities trading, Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.43% or 5.40 to $1261.20 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.43% or 0.32 to hit $74.12 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.62% or 0.48 to trade at $77.59 a barrel.
AUD/USD was up 0.50% to 0.7467, while AUD/JPY rose 0.50% to 82.47.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.19% at 93.58.