Australia Stocks Higher at Close of Trade; S&P/ASX 200 Up 0.51%

Australia’s stock market saw gains following the close on Thursday, with notable advancements in various sectors driving shares upward.

By the end of trading in Sydney, the benchmark index had increased by 0.51%.

Leading the session’s positive performances was Northern Star Resources Ltd, which climbed 4.72%, or 0.48 points, finishing at 10.66. Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd also made strides, rising 4.53%, or 0.64 points, to close at 14.76. Additionally, Silver Lake Resources Ltd saw an increase of 2.98%, or 0.03 points, concluding at 0.87.

On the other hand, the market had its share of underperformers. Omni Bridgeway Ltd experienced a decline of 5.48%, or 0.10 points, closing at 1.64. IGO Ltd followed suit, dropping 3.98%, or 0.48 points, to end at 11.57, while Aristocrat Leisure Ltd fell 3.66%, or 1.49 points, closing at 39.18.

Overall, the Sydney Stock Exchange saw more stocks climb than fall, with 639 advancing, 499 declining, and 388 remaining unchanged.

Omni Bridgeway’s shares hit a five-year low with a 5.48% drop, while IGO Ltd’s shares reached a 52-week low after a 3.98% decrease.

The measure of implied volatility for S&P/ASX 200 options declined by 8.48%, settling at 13.50.

In commodities, December gold futures rose by 0.04%, trading at $1,835.60 per troy ounce. Crude oil for November delivery remained unchanged at $84.22 per barrel, while Brent oil for December increased by 0.13% to $85.92 per barrel.

The Australian dollar remained steady against the US dollar, holding at 0.63, while it gained 0.22% against the Japanese yen, rising to 94.53.

Finally, the US Dollar Index futures slightly decreased by 0.04%, ending at 106.48.