Australia stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/ASX 200 up 0.03%

Investing.com – Australia stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Healthcare, IT and Energy sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.03%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX:JHX), which rose 14.38% or 5.86 points to trade at 46.62 at the close. Meanwhile, Reece Ltd (ASX:REH) added 3.93% or 0.76 points to end at 20.10 and Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX:RWC) was up 2.84% or 0.12 points to 4.34 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Mesoblast Ltd (ASX:MSB), which fell 8.54% or 0.04 points to trade at 0.38 at the close. Zip Co Ltd (ASX:ZIP) declined 5.81% or 0.03 points to end at 0.41 and Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX:CLW) was down 5.71% or 0.23 points to 3.80.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 701 to 502 and 451 ended unchanged.

Shares in James Hardie Industries PLC (ASX:JHX) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 14.38% or 5.86 to 46.62. Shares in Mesoblast Ltd (ASX:MSB) fell to all time lows; losing 8.54% or 0.04 to 0.38. Shares in Reece Ltd (ASX:REH) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.93% or 0.76 to 20.10. Shares in Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX:CLW) fell to 3-years lows; losing 5.71% or 0.23 to 3.80.

The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 1.07% to 11.68.

Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.15% or 3.00 to $1,967.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 0.72% or 0.59 to hit $81.35 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.73% or 0.62 to trade at $84.72 a barrel.

AUD/USD was unchanged 0.68% to 0.65, while AUD/JPY fell 0.30% to 93.38.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.29% at 102.16.