Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 0.36%

Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Utilities, Consumer Staples and Financials sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.36%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN), which rose 4.95% or 3.73 points to trade at 79.11 at the close. Meanwhile, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) added 4.42% or 0.23 points to end at 5.43 and A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX:A2M) was up 3.99% or 0.22 points to 5.73 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX:JHX), which fell 13.72% or 4.58 points to trade at 28.81 at the close. Sims Metal Management Ltd (ASX:SGM) declined 9.70% or 1.24 points to end at 11.55 and Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX:WHC) was down 5.52% or 0.55 points to 9.41.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 686 to 674 and 421 ended unchanged.

Shares in Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX:MIN) rose to all time highs; rising 4.95% or 3.73 to 79.11. Shares in James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX:JHX) fell to 52-week lows; losing 13.72% or 4.58 to 28.81. Shares in Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) rose to all time highs; rising 4.42% or 0.23 to 5.43. Shares in Sims Metal Management Ltd (ASX:SGM) fell to 52-week lows; falling 9.70% or 1.24 to 11.55.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.59% to 15.83.

Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.50% or 8.45 to $1,672.05 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 0.29% or 0.27 to hit $91.52 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 0.17% or 0.17 to trade at $97.75 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.39% to 0.65, while AUD/JPY fell 0.27% to 94.72.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.31% at 110.33.