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

The Sydney closing price was up 0.31%

Magellan Financial Group Ltd. (ASX) was the best performer of the session. It rose by 5.17%, or 1.03 points, to trade at 20,96 at the closing. Meanwhile, Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX 🙂 gained 4.73%, or 0.65 points, to close at 1.440. St Barbara Ltd. (ASX 🙂 was up by 4.33% (or 0.060) to 1.445 late trade.

They were also the session’s worst performers Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX): The ASX fell 10.32% (0.58 points), to close at 5.04. Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX) lost 2.57% (or 1.55 points) to finish at 58.67. Afterpay Touch Group Ltd. (ASX) dropped 2.39% (2.09 points) until it reached 85.40.

Stocks that are rising outperformed those in decline on the Sydney Stock Exchange were 885 to 466, and 413 was unchanged at the end.

Bega Cheese Ltd. (ASX) shares fell to 52 week lows. They lost 10.32%, or 0.58, to 5.04.

The , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/ASX 200 options, was down 3.36% to 11.144 a new 3-months low.

The February delivery of Gold Futures was up 0.27 percent or 4.95, to $1807.15 per troy ounce. Other commodities traded included Crude oil, which rose 0.03% to reach $72.78 a barrel, and March Brent oil, unchanged at 0.00% to trade at $75.28/barrel.

The AUD/USD rose 0.18 to 0.7226 while the AUD/JPY rose by 0.31%, to 82.57.

US Dollar Index Futures were up 0.1% at 96.070.