CANBERRA: Australia stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Staples, Energy and A-REITs sectors led shares higher. At the close in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.39% to hit a new 52-week high. The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Navitas Ltd (AX:NVT), which rose 5.23% or 0.220 points to trade at 4.430 at the close. Meanwhile, Seven West Media Ltd (AX:SWM) added 3.27% or 0.025 points to end at 0.790 and Beach Energy Ltd (AX:BPT) was up 3.18% or 0.025 points to 0.810 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were Bellamys Australia Ltd (AX:BAL), which fell 8.28% or 0.370 points to trade at 4.100 at the close. Syrah Res F (AX:SYR) declined 5.90% or 0.180 points to end at 2.870 and Fairfax Media Ltd (AX:FXJ) was down 3.65% or 0.040 points to 1.055. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Australia Stock Exchange by 550 to 539 and 338 ended unchanged.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 4.79% to 11.185. Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.35% or 4.40 to $1249.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May rose 0.34% or 0.17 to hit $49.68 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 0.15% or 0.08 to trade at $52.62 a barrel. AUD/USD was down 0.17% to 0.7657, while AUD/JPY fell 0.02% to 85.14. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.11% at 99.89.
