Australia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, A-REITs and Financials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 1.10%.
The best performers of the session on the S&P/ASX 200 were Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX:SGR), which rose 11.50% or 0.12 points to trade at 1.11 at the close. Meanwhile, Collins Foods Ltd (ASX:CKF) added 7.46% or 0.69 points to end at 9.94 and Polynovo Ltd (ASX:PNV) was up 7.09% or 0.10 points to 1.51 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX:BGA), which fell 8.53% or 0.29 points to trade at 3.11 at the close. Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX:WGX) declined 2.78% or 0.04 points to end at 1.40 and Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX:RSG) was down 2.44% or 0.01 points to 0.40.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Sydney Stock Exchange by 844 to 527 and 446 ended unchanged.
Shares in Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX:BGA) fell to 5-year lows; losing 8.53% or 0.29 to 3.11.
The S&P/ASX 200 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 6.64% to 12.29.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 0.24% or 4.55 to $1,919.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August rose 0.53% or 0.36 to hit $68.06 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract rose 0.47% or 0.34 to trade at $72.85 a barrel.
AUD/USD was unchanged 0.60% to 0.66, while AUD/JPY fell 0.58% to 95.78.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.10% at 102.23.
